Dean Grazazios Student Secrets RevealedDGSS - Book

Dean Graziosis
’
STUDENTS
SECRETS
REVEALED
LEARN THE TECHNIQUES THAT DEAN’S
SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS USED TO SUCCEED!
New York Times Best Seller Author of

“Be A Real Estate Millionaire.”
Dean Graziosis
’
STUDENTS
SECRETS
REVEALED
LEARN THE TECHNIQUES THAT DEAN’S
SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS USED TO SUCCEED!
New York Times Best Seller Author of

“Be A Real Estate Millionaire.”
Dean Graziosi’s Student Secrets
Copyright © 2014 by Dean Graziosi
Published by: BBG Enterprises, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system or transmitted in any form, by any means, including
mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing March of 2014
Neither the author nor BBG Enterprises, LLC, in any way make any warranty,
guaranty or representation, expressed or implied, as to the potential volume,
profits, or success of any activity or undertaking described herein.
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any activity described herein was received from third parties and was not
created or verified by the author or BBG Enterprises, LLC, or any agent of
either of them.
Neither the author nor BBG Enterprises, LLC, in any way warrant or confirm
the accuracy of any information provided herein.
The reader should conduct an independent investigation into the information

contained herein before taking any action.
The success or failure of any undertaking described herein or based on

information provided herein may involve financial risks solely dependent
upon the reader’s own ability and efforts, changes in technology or shifts
in market realities.
Finally, nothing contained herein should be construed as legal advice.
Regulations vary from state to state, and change from time to time.
Consult your own independent legal counsel as to the legality of any

undertaking before taking action based on information contained herein.
Interior Design: Tressa Foster

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Attitude 5
Assimilation 21
Analysis 51
Appreciation 71
Action 105
Final
Review for Straight “A’s”
1 136
Introduction
Straight A’s mean nothing unless
you do something with them.
It was fun gathering all of these great user survey responses for
“Secrets for Straight A’s in Real Estate Investing.” They all were of-
fered by our students and successful investors who want to help
others. They’ve discovered or invented some unique approaches to
real estate investment. You’re benefitting from their experience and
there are bound to be several really valuable secrets here for you.
There are five sections in the book, each covering an aspect of invest-
ing that contributes to successful deals and profits.
Attitude
You’re going to read about ways in which success happens through
the right attitude, and how to start each day in the get-deals-done
frame of mind. Half of the equation is to set yourself up for success
using various techniques to put you into “success mode” each and
every morning.
The other half is about avoiding the negative. From keeping away
from useless negative news to locating real estate and market news
sources that are of use because they’re balanced and contribute to
your market knowledge.
Assimilation
OK, you’ve begun your day with a great attitude and you’re out there
meeting people and gathering knowledge to help you in your real
estate investment business. This section is all about the many ways
2 DEAN GRAZIOSI
in which our students and successful investors are meeting the right
people and gathering knowledge.
From real estate clubs to local housing authorities and even court-
house employees and visitors, you’ll get some amazing tools in this
section for where and how to meet the right people and gather infor-
mation that’s going to be of maximum value in your investing.
It’s not just about gathering information; you’ll learn how to use it
to achieve your goals. Some of these resources are very focused on
specific investment strategies and where and how to assimilate the
knowledge you need to get the job done.
Analysis
Real estate investment is a business, just as much so as if you owned
or managed a corporation. Corporations have entire departments
tasked with analyzing competitors, market statistics, buying trends,
and news about their business. Highly successful real estate investors
are engaged in continuous research of home prices, local rents, buyer
and tenant property preferences, and market trends.
The challenge is that most real estate investors do not have a staff for
this research. In this section you’ll learn about the innovative ways
in which these investors are gathering market data. They’re sharing
online tools and resources and how they can help you to efficiently
compile the data you need to make profitable decisions.
Appreciation
Appreciation is a great title for this section, and it’s not about thank-
ing people. It’s about appreciating the ways in which others can
help you to succeed based on their jobs or business activities. When
you appreciate their ability to contribute, you can build relationships
that help you when they voluntarily send you business or help with
financing.
Dean Graziosi’s Student Secrets 3
You’re going to learn how these investors have created some really
interesting and profitable relationships. In some cases these relation-
ships are not obvious; with few other investors seeing the opportuni-
ties right in front of them. It works both ways, as you’ll be helping
others who will be appreciative of your efforts. They’ll return the
favor and you’ll profit.
There is also some very useful information in this section about how
many more deals are done simply because the investors appreciate
the situations of their seller and buyer prospects. Appreciating what
they need and finding out what that is creates win-win-win deals, and
you’re the middle “winner.”
Action
I started this Introduction with a quote, and it’s the emphasis I’m put-
ting into this last section of the book. It doesn’t matter how much
you know, how many books you’ve read, seminars you’ve attended,
or courses you’ve taken. If you don’t go out and take action on what
you know, you’ll never reach your goal.
This is the perfect section to end the book because it’s going to
show you how these investors and students have overcome fears or
“analysis paralysis” to take effective action for their success. There
are secrets in this section for real action steps, how these investors
are getting things done. You’ll learn specific techniques for locating
properties, building a buyer list and more.
You can learn a lot in this book, but your report card
only tells you what you’ve learned. Unless you do
something with it, you’ll be reading another book
or taking another course. None of that will be
any more useful than what you’re getting here.
Just do something with it!

Attitude
If you think you can do a thing or think
you can’t do a thing, you’re right.
— Henry Ford
This is the shortest section of our Straight A’s for Real Estate Invest-
ing, but it’s also the most important. If you don’t believe that you can
succeed, as Henry Ford says, you’re right. If you know that you can
with the right information and tools, then you’re right!
In this section, my students will share their secrets about maintain-

ing the right attitude, avoiding naysayers, turning off bad news, and
other techniques they have found to be effective and a good founda-
tion for their success in real estate investing.
Humans take encouragement from their peers, family and friends

to heart and it helps them to achieve their goals. However, it
works the other way as well. Naysayers are all around us. Some
are negative about what we want to do because they fear we’ll fail
and want to protect us. For others it’s jealousy. It doesn’t matter
what the reason is … you must avoid naysayers and dial up your
attitude for success.
Don’t skip this section, even if you think you have a great attitude and
desire for success. That’s because you’re going to run into naysayers
6 DEAN GRAZIOSI
and negativity when you announce your new real estate investment
business. This section will get you past all of that and on the road
to success.
The Secret: Sleep Your Way to Success

Alan R. in Georgia
The Result:
Seven wholesale deals my first year in business!”
The How of the Secret:

Simple. Perhaps an anecdote will set the stage. Let me ask, “Do you
brush your teeth every night before going to sleep?” Of course 99
percent of replies will be yes. Next question: “Why do you brush
your teeth?” Most people will answer, “For good oral health,” or
something similar. But good oral health is not the real reason people
brush their teeth every night before they go to sleep. The real reason
is because their parents told them to do so.
Through repeated commands parents “program” their children to

brush their teeth every night, and that behavior lasts throughout
their entire lives. So to program myself for real estate success I did
several things:
1) E very time I turned on my computer a message scrolled

across the screen that read “Ten flips this year.”
2) I kept, and continue to keep, a notebook at the head of
my bed. Every night before falling asleep I wrote “Ten flips
this year.” I also wrote something good that happened to
me that day. The last thoughts going through my con-
scious mind rumbled around in my subconscious mind
all night, allowing my subconscious mind to connect the
dots of my real estate education into achieving the flip-
ping goal. I “slept” my way to success.
3) In my shoes I wrote the message “Ten flips this year.” Ev-
ery time I put my shoes on, or took them off the flipping
message went straight to my subconscious mind, whether
I consciously read it or not.
What happened(s)? From these repeated messages, just like brushing

my teeth, I behaved in ways consistent with attaining the goal of ten
flips. This type of subconscious programming will work with any goal
one wants to achieve. So relax, and sleep your way to success!”
Dean’s Comments:
Sometimes the simplest things we do can have the greatest impact
on our lives. Alan understood that he would be successful if he mo-
tivated himself consistently with a message that clearly spelled out
his goal.
He reaffirmed his goal every night, but also went to sleep with posi-
tive thoughts of his day’s accomplishments. It’s a lot like the marital
advice “Don’t go to bed mad from an argument.” Setting a negative
8 DEAN GRAZIOSI
tone for the next day isn’t going to help you to get started with a
positive attitude.
This motivational screen message can work right into your plan and
goal-setting. A structured set of goals, both long term and inter-
mediate, are how success is achieved. You should create a written
plan for your life and a set of long term goals for your investing and
financial future.
Once you have those long term goals, it’s imperative that you break
them down into chunks you can grab and complete. When your
goals are too big, you run the risk of becoming discouraged when
you can’t move through them efficiently.
Set smaller achievable goals with realistic deadlines and put those on
your screen saver or into a wake-up message on your computer. As
you complete them, check them off, and you’ll find you’re positively
motivated to keep moving forward.
Take Action:
Take some time to reflect on what motivates you and helps you to
keep a good attitude. Spend just as much time to think about what
discourages you and keeps you from reaching your daily goals.
Once you’ve come up with these two lists, one positive and one nega-
tive, make a plan like Alan did to maximize the positives and minimize
the negatives. Then stick to your plan. Develop interim steps that will
get done and use those to keep you motivated.
The Secret: D & D’s Diet (Dean & Diana’s News Diet)
Diana V. in Arizona
The Result:
I’ve closed one deal and I’m working on another. The results I got
when I changed the way I was thinking and doing things were amaz-
ing. Dean’s mention in one of his blogs of going on a news diet hit
home. I did this and I still do it to this day.”
The HOW of the Secret:

I was taking all the negatively in my life and letting it get to me, and
when I CHANGED, then things in my life changed as well. Since I have
done this I have done one deal and now have another deal in the
works-- a fix and flip and papers were signed last week.”
Dean’s Comments:
Over the years I’ve proven to thousands of students that listening to
the overwhelming negative news we’re bombarded with in the media
is a success-killer. Even the most dedicated and focused investor
will find it difficult or impossible to maintain a positive attitude and
10 DEAN GRAZIOSI
get the deals done if they’re constantly watching the real estate and
economic news on T.V.
News media and their constant efforts to scoop others and “get the
dirt” for audience ratings are one source of a lot of negativity, es-
pecially in real estate market news. On any given day you can find
a really negative article about a rise in interest rates and how it will
cripple the housing market. Yet that same day, in another news item,
you’ll read that reasonable interest rate increases are expected and
shouldn’t damage the market too much because there is a current
shortage of inventory and supply-demand pressures will help to keep
prices rising.
Start to pay attention to which news outlets or websites are gener-

ally un-biased or positive in their coverage and you can pay attention
to those if you like. But definitely you should stop listening to the
naysayer media outlets.

Take Action:
“Just turn it off!” Someone else’s bad news can be your windfall.
This includes news you get from your family, friends, co-workers and
neighbors. It doesn’t matter if Uncle Joe lost his shirt in investments
in the past. It doesn’t matter if another city’s real estate is crashing,
as that’s not your city and real estate is local.
Turn off all of the bad news in your life, wherever it comes
from. Start paying attention to good news and positive people.
The Secret: The E. R. Program

Tyrese L in Maryland
The Result:
I have started a few projects myself with a positive outlook of my
mission.

I call this the E. R. Program because I’m valuating myself and then
econditioning my mind to gain self-knowledge for a more positive
outcome. There’s nothing wrong with profit.
It’s OK to want more for yourself and to take on all projects with a
clear focus on the end result and reward. You should look forward
to the ‘Victory,’ which instead of being the end of something; it will
be the start of something new and exciting as your life-changing ac-
tion plan.”
“I no longer want to wish for things. What I tell myself is that ‘I am

going to... It’s OK to want more!”
Dean’s Comments:
The Evaluation part of this secret involves a clear understanding of
the goal of a project, evaluating your abilities, and then putting to-
gether a plan that uses your abilities to accomplish the goal
Then, you’re Reconditioning your mind to eliminate doubt, fear and

negativity, replacing them with confidence that you’ll achieve your
goal because you’ve evaluated your ability to get it done and con-
structed a plan. You’re also telling yourself that it’s OK for you to
want profits and more in your life.
12 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
Have you ever actually written down what you want for your life and
family? Sure, we all want a good life, enough money to live well, and
good health. What I want you to do now is to take some time and
write down what you want in more detail; make a plan so to speak.
Quantify your desires; how much money do you want or need to be
free of worry? Do you want a larger home or more money to fund
your children’s education?
Don’t limit your thinking in this process, as you can’t achieve what
you don’t plan for. Recondition your mind to actually EXPECT the
results you desire. Have you ever known someone who was very well
off, lost everything, and then became wealthy again? It’s common
because their minds are conditioned for success, and they can’t envi-
sion anything else. That’s where you want to be.
The Secret: Three Steps to an Awesome Life

Joan B in Arizona
The Result:
“I’m able to start each day motivated, action-oriented and forward-
moving.”

Joan breaks her secret down into three steps:
1. “You need to get/be/stay ready.” Whether it’s a great deal

opportunity or an obstacle to overcome, be ready for it, al-
ways at-the-ready for whatever comes at you.
2. “Get out of your comfort zone.” Out of the box thinking,
being open-minded to new ideas, and getting past pre-con-
ceived notions are all necessary for this secret.
3. “Be fully persuaded.” Persuade yourself to never give up,
never quit, and always keep trying and believing.
I keep a positive on-fire attitude for everyday life, no matter what

happens!
Dean’s Comments:
Joan starts every day fully persuaded that she will be ready for what-
ever comes her way, and she’s ready to overcome obstacles or seize
opportunities. Success doesn’t just arrive at your doorstep. Joan
understands this and isn’t afraid to get out of her comfort zone. She
agrees with Henry Ford, and she persuades herself that she can do
this, so it’s just going to happen!
14 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
Start every day with the expectation of a deal opportunity. By expect-
ing a deal that day, you’ll also be more prepared to deal with it. You
don’t want to be surprised by a deal; so expect one to happen and
prepare to deal with it. Do things and meet people that you’re not
normally exposed to and you’ll begin to see opportunities surfacing
all around you.
The Secret: How to Re-program Your Life

Tim P. in Missouri
The Result:
“It keeps me positive and upbeat when I would normally be discour-
aged and negative. On my last deal I will actually come out with
$90,000 in profit due to this secret.”

“When I make a deal that takes more time and funding than I thought
up front, I use an affirmation technique that I call “How to Re-pro-
gram Your Life. I record my affirmations on my computer, then I save
them in an mp3 file, then put them on my smart phone. I listen to
them daily at least once or twice. After all of that I just let my mind
set up all of the deals that will help me and my family make the kind
of income we need. It just happens because it is what I tell myself is
going to happen.”
Dean’s Comments:
Tim’s affirmation approach may not be for everyone, but it’s interest-
ing how many people will adopt affirmations if they just give it a try.
Changes in attitude and behavior can many times be brought about
through repeated exposure to positive stimuli.
Affirmations can be those repeated positive reminders that success is

within our reach. Do you sometimes or regularly get up in the morn-
ing and say to yourself “It’s going to be a great day!” Does it help?
If so, affirmation techniques could be the ticket to success for you.
We’re hearing again how technology can be used to help you with
staying motivated and upbeat. Earlier we saw how computer or
16 DEAN GRAZIOSI
screen saver messages can help by automating constant positive af-

firmations. Now we see how we can make them into audio files and
carry them around with us. We can listen to them while we’re driving
to make better use of our time.

Take Action:
If you want to try affirmation, Tim’s approach is definitely a great way
to leverage technology to make it work for you. With headphones
and your smart phone you can be stimulating your brain for success
while everyone around you is thinking that you’re just listening to
music.
The Secret: The Drive-By

Angel M. in California
The Result:
“Using this secret I find seller leads, cash buyers, and team members
for wholesaling.”

“I always believe that even the smallest thing I do will eventually lead
to something greater and profitable and get me some kind of result.
Even a connection with someone that may be able to help me down
the line weeks, months or years from now.
My strategy is looking for construction sites everywhere I go. Some-

times I am headed to a party, a baptismal or someone’s house, a
ballgame for one of my kids or just going to work. I will see a few
guys working on a house and I realize that it’s a rehab and I will boldly
go into the house, (especially if I see a new Jaguar parked outside)
and I will walk in and introduce myself as an investor with a knack for
finding low priced properties. I have found a lot of my cash buyers
this way and also managed to get some agents and rehab companies
on my team as well.”
Dean’s Comments:
Angel’s secret can be one of the most valuable you’ll read in this sec-
tion. We see that she takes not only a positive attitude out each day,
but she also overcomes any hesitation and walks right onto jobsites to
talk to contractors, buyers, sellers and others. She doesn’t let fear of
rejection stop her, and consequently she meets new people who can
be valuable business partners or customers in the future.
18 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Jobsites aren’t just a great way to meet people and start relationships.
They’re also possible future properties of interest. Are they remodel-
ing a home for the owner or rehabbing for resale? If it’s a flip rehab,
there’s an investor involved, and we always want to make contact
with other investors.
Take Action:
This is certainly an easy secret to implement. You’ll be getting into
your car or truck today or tomorrow, and you’ll be passing jobsites
where homes are being built or remodeled. They’re ready for your
visit, and you’ll be surprised at how well you’ll be accepted as an in-
vestor and also as someone interested in real estate and construction.
There’s a way to make this more than a happenstance thing. Instead

of just hoping you’ll stumble across jobsites in your daily travels, you
can go to the courthouse and access building permit records and then
map them online. Now you’ll know where these jobs are and change
your routes just a bit to find more opportunities.
Moving on to Success
I said that this would be a short but very important section. You
should move forward into the next section only if you’ve taken ac-
tions to:
• Avoid negativity.
• Turn off bad news programming.
• Make yourself OK with wanting more and expecting it.
• Set in motion a plan to stay positive and create new oppor-
tunities.
Some days we just don’t get up in the right frame of mind. If we

start our day that way it can influence our business and investing
negatively. Using some of these techniques can help you to change
your day’s outlook and improve your results.
For some people it’s not just a daily thing, but more about their entire
outlook on life and their abilities. If you doubt your ability to succeed
as a real estate investor, you’ll find many more challenges in your
path. If you listen to others who also have doubts about themselves
or your abilities, these naysayers can create obstacles to your success.
Once you’re certain that you have the right attitude for your own
success and a plan for how you see that success, move to the next
section. In the Assimilation section you’ll get action steps for learning
what you need to know and using the knowledge you gain.
Assimilation
Today knowledge has power. It controls access
to opportunity and advancement.
— Peter Drucker
Other than wanting a word that started with an “A,” there’s a very
good reason for titling this section “Assimilation.” You can acquire
knowledge in many ways; reading, attending seminars, watching vid-
eos, computer research, etc.
However, there’s no substitute for experience, and assimilation is how

my family of students and instructors exchange knowledge and ex-
perience. From videos to websites and discussion groups, we’re all
working together to help each other in becoming successful in real
estate investing.
It’s possible to make a go of it in real estate investing as an island.

However, most people find that learning from others and participa-
tion in groups with like interests are activities that help them to build
and grow their businesses. In fact, many of my students meet others
in discussion groups that later become their partners in profitable real
estate investments.
22 DEAN GRAZIOSI
In this section you’ll learn how we learn from each other and how
students and instructors assimilate in groups with many different per-
sonalities and current careers. They learn from others, whether in
structured real estate investment club activities or just in casual meet-
ings or business relationships. Some of these secrets are responsible
for major profits, so read every one carefully and learn.
The Secret: Right Place, Right Time

Anita P. in California
The Result:
Using her secret, Anita says that she meets “prospective buyers of
homes, but also lawyers and people in the real estate and banking
business; great for networking.”

“My best personal secret for achieving results is seeking people who
you can learn from & seeking opportunities to use what you know &
GROW in knowledge that leads to Sequences of Steps.
I implement my ‘secret’ by looking for ways to meet people who

are business-minded, home product consumers, housing purveyors
(property management, single landlords, real estate firms/agents) as
much as possible whether from making notes of TV commentaries,
internet blogs, and trade magazines, or in-person attendance of how-
to-seminars & real estate investor meetings.
My primary secret meeting place is in front of the County Assessor’s

Office. Where else can you meet in one place a daily stream of real
estate attorneys, bankers, home sellers, buyers and other real estate
investors? I even made contact with a banking lender who exchanged
business info for any prospective mortgage services referrals!”
I call my secret “Right Place, Right Time” since the County Assessor’s
Office is a beehive of activity from researching home values, filing
deeds, performing property search info AND most importantly mak-
ing personal contacts to learn business skills from & exchange busi-
ness cards!”
Dean’s Comments:
Networking is a tried-and-true method of building a business. Meet-
ing other people with the same interests is part of it. This can happen
in real estate investment clubs. Anita took it to another level by not
participating in a formal setting like a club meeting.
Anita saw the opportunity in the real estate industry related people
who frequent the courthouse. Successful real estate investors are in
the tax assessor’s office frequently. Bankers or their representatives
are there researching properties in default.
One opportunity she didn’t mention is meeting vendors and con-

tractors. They may be there to pull a job permit or to file a lien for
non-payment. Either way, they’re a great contact for your real estate
investment team or to learn about homeowners in financial trouble
who may be motivated to sell.
24 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
Visit your county assessor’s office to get the lay of the land. Learn
where someone would go to file a lien, research property history, or
get property tax information.
If you’re shy, get over it and start conversations with others you meet
there. You’ll be surprised at how fast you’ll fill out your prospect and
business contacts database.
The Secret: Doing the Stuff

Trina D. in Ohio
The Result:
“I found an investor, paid cash for a house to sell on land contract,
was given a house to pay for once it sells, renovated and then sold the
house in one week without a Realtor for a $40,000 profit.”

“After three months of non-stop learning, just filling my head with
the knowledge of the professionals, and then I was just doing what I
was learning along the way.
I believe that the excitement and conviction I had when talking about my
hopes and plans inspired others to invest in me and opened doors for me
that enabled me to get a property. I had nothing but head knowledge
and a driving force of faith. Gaining enough knowledge from the Real
Estate Course and stepping out in faith to just start doing the stuff.
It took determination to continue past what seemed like impossible

obstacles and continually sharing my plan and a lot of prayer. 80%
of success comes from showing up so go do the stuff you’re learning
to do and keep your eyes open for opportunities.
Practice looking at homes, evaluating them, running comps and

learning what it costs to renovate as well as making offers until the
right doors open up to close the deal.”
Trina learned and then applied what she learned for her success.
Dean’s Comments:
While Trina talks a lot about how she applied what she learned and
26 DEAN GRAZIOSI
how others invested in her, it’s because they could see she knew
what she was talking about. The courses she took, books she read
and seminars she attended all came together to give her a feeling of
confidence that she knew how to move forward.
Experienced investors are constantly approached by novice investors

who are hoping to bird dog or wholesale to them. They may be open
to new relationships, but only if they believe you know what you’re
doing. They are rarely in the “teaching” mode. They will be asking
you questions that will show just how much you know about the
business. They don’t expect you to have experience yet, but they do
want you to have industry and investing knowledge.
There is no substitute for knowledge because it builds confidence.

When you approach others to explain what you do or to negotiate
a deal, your confidence is obvious and you will achieve far better
results, just as Trina did.
Take Action:
This may seem obvious, but the action to take now is to learn. Soak
up every bit of real estate and investing knowledge you can. Read,
search the Web, watch video seminars, go to seminars, take home
courses and attend formal real estate investment courses.
Practice what you learn, even if it’s not on real deals at first. When
you learn about valuing homes, go out and choose a few and practice
doing it. If you use listed homes you can compare your results with
those of the listing real estate agents.
Another approach would be to practice valuation of some recently

sold properties and compare your results with the actual selling price.
This is just one facet of investing, but it’s a good example of learning
and then application of what you’ve learned before you do it for real.
Once you’re confident, go out and tell the world and do it for your
business success.
The Secret: CLGC, Craigslist Leads Game Changer

Kendall H. in Michigan
The Result:
“I have found private owners (sellers) who I ask questions regarding
their property. I haven’t done a deal yet but don’t count me out.”

“I have used the Craigslist strategy Matt Larson displayed in the Unfair
Advantage Weekly Wisdom Video as it relates to pulling leads and
typing in AS IS, TLC, HANDYMAN SPECIAL, FIXER UPPER, DIAMOND
IN THE ROUGH, NEEDS WORK, LOTS OF POTENIAL, WEEKEND SPE-
CIAL, etc. I follow Matt Larson’s lead cheat sheet.
One example is an owner who told me after I did my due diligence

at the house she wasn’t interested in Assignment of Contract. I in-
formed her if she reconsidered to please give me a call. Her asking
price was $7000. I offered $3500. The ARV was $22,358 and I’ll say it
needed about $7000 in repairs, The HUD Foreclosures in the area was
averaging $11,000. I would have wholesaled it for $8000 and picked
up a $4500 assignment fee had she been willing to do an assignment
of contract. I have talked to four other private owners whose asking
prices were flexible and they were motivated.”
Dean’s Comments:
Kendall has developed his own system using our instruction and
Craigslist to locate leads and prospective motivated sellers. He’s ob-
viously done a great job and is now just working on his presentation
and negotiation strategies to actually move these prospects forward
to a deal.
28 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Look at all of those arrows pointing to homes for sale By Owner. This
screen shot came from a Craigslist search of real estate for sale and
the keywords “fixer upper.” The top result even mentions rent to
own, so it could be a great opportunity for a strategy to re-rent the
property to another tenant buyer at a positive cash flow and higher
end price.
The good news is that Kendall is way more than half way to his goal.
He’s covered the more challenging factor in finding potentially good
deals and motivated sellers. The rest is a honing of skills in one-on-
one negotiation, an easier task.
Take Action:
If your goal is to locate motivated sellers, this is a proven strategy that
turns them up from their own postings in Craigslist. The keywords
and phrases have been tested over time and they yield potential sell-
ers who either have properties with problems or they are financially
motivated to sell.
This is an easy strategy to test. Go to Craigslist and do your own

searches on these key phrases. It will probably surprise you how
many potential sellers you’ll turn up.
The Secret: Simply IFTTT

Caroline L. in California
The Result:
The result is a very efficient system of locating prospective motivated
sellers with Craigslist, then using IFTTT to transfer them automatically
into a spreadsheet for sorting and contacting.

“Lead generation consistency. I do all my own lead generation. I’m a
widow with very little income. Until I get some money put away for
marketing, I must do the lead generation myself. The key is to do it
consistently every day. Easier said than done!
I use an app called IFTTT. It transfers my search criteria from Craigslist

to a Google Drive spreadsheet. It does it automatically every time a
property is entered on Craigslist that matches my search criteria, such
as 3/2, $900 - 1,200, no apts, etc. It saves me a ton of time. I check
for duplicates and this auto transfer saves me from copying and past-
ing the ads into a spreadsheet with a formula to check for duplicate
phone numbers and/or email addresses.
Now, I copy 5 phone numbers at a time into Google Voice and text a
message asking if the house is available for cash purchase or lease to
own. I call the ones that look really motivated. Google Voice is FREE
and using a phone number other than my cell number makes it easy
and FREE to text and receive responses.
I open up the IFTTT.com application and click on create a recipe. Just

follow steps 1 thru 7. It walks you through how to link the Craigslist
criteria to the Google Drive spreadsheet. Of course, you need to reg-
ister for IFTTT, which is FREE. And you also need a Google account, also
FREE. I hope I haven’t made this sound too complicated....Thank You
30 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Dean for all the amazing stuff you do and share with the rest of us. I’m
inspired by you and the DG Family. God Bless.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is a great follow-up and addition to Kendall’s secret just before.
He’s using Craigslist to locate potential sellers, and Caroline is giving
you a slick system to do the grunt work for you.
The screen shot is of an IFTTT recipe that passes the results of a Craig-
slist search to a spreadsheet in Google Drive. You can create different
recipes for each search that turns up different properties and places
them in different spreadsheets. This is a great way to leverage tech-
nology for your real estate investment business.
Take Action:
Visit the IFTTT website and check it out. Since it’s free, set up some
“recipes” of your own. There are many other ways to use it like pro-
cessing emails, etc. You can even have it search Craigslist and send
you an email when a result is found.
The Secret: No Name-But It Works!

Lonnie P. in Virginia
The Result:
“This strategy has allowed me to purchase my third property since
my divorce only 14 months ago. I get money available to purchase
and renovate a residence. Since I am rebuilding my credit after a
lengthy and costly divorce, I was unable to borrow under con-
ventional terms and didn’t want to pay the high interest of “hard
money lenders” or private loans. The strategy described below
gives me the cash and the flexibility associated with having cash
available.”

“I investigated ways to access money that is sitting in my retire-
ment account so that I could purchase some of these crazy low
“cash only” houses. I thought about a self-directed IRA, but that
was cumbersome and a third party must be involved in the deals.
By BORROWING the money, I receive it tax-free and without pen-
alty.
I pay a modest interest rate (3.75%) and earn more on my money by

investing in a flip. This could also be used for investing in a hold and
rent, but I prefer to sell and pay the loan back. This gives me cash to
buy houses that won’t qualify for loans due to the need for renova-
tion or some other issue.”
Dean’s Comments:
The key phrase from Lonnie is that he “investigated” ways to change
his future through real estate investment. Education of all kinds and
via all media is crucial to success. We aren’t born with an “invest-
32 DEAN GRAZIOSI
ment gene.” Lonnie did the due diligence necessary to learn what he
needed for success. He did enough research to decide between the
different IRA account types and chose the best for him.
That due diligence is important, as not all IRA accounts are set up
for borrowing without tax penalties. If they are, here are a few
paragraphs from the IRS.gov website about plans that are set up
for this:
A qualified plan may, but is not required to provide for loans. If a plan
provides for loans, the plan may limit the amount that can be taken
as a loan. The maximum amount that the plan can permit as a loan
is (1) the greater of $10,000 or 50% of your vested account balance,
or (2) $50,000, whichever is less.
For example, if a participant has an account balance of $40,000, the

maximum amount that he or she can borrow from the account is
$20,000.
A participant may have more than one outstanding loan from the
plan at a time. However, any new loan, when added to the out-
standing balance of all of the participant’s loans from the plan,
cannot be more than the plan maximum amount. In determining
the plan maximum amount in that case, the $50,000 is reduced
by the difference between the highest outstanding balance of all
of the participant’s loans during the 12-month period ending on
the day before the new loan and the outstanding balance of the
participant’s loans from the plan on the date of the new loan.
Take Action:
Do you have money in retirement accounts? Can you borrow against
those accounts at low interest rates? Investigate your opportunities
to do so. If you discuss this with your IRA custodian or firm, don’t go
into detail as you’ll probably hear discouraging advice. Your research
is meant to see how you can access money, and you can make your
own decisions as to what you’re going to do with it.
If you can borrow, check the interest rate against other financing you
may be able to access. If it’s favorable, go ahead and use it for deals
you know will work out. Once they do, pay back the loan as quickly
as possible.
34 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Cash Bucket Bribes

Alisa V. in Idaho
The Result:
“When I first started investing in real estate I had a hard time finding
cash buyers. I sent out letters to potential investors, but often times
did not hear from many of them. After implementing my secret, there
are very few investors that I contact and don’t hear from within a few
short days. Because of my secret, my cash buyer bucket has gone
from about half-full to completely overflowing. I think I may have to
invest in a bigger bucket!”

“A few years ago I received a marketing survey in the mail. Normally
when I get a marketing survey I just throw it away. This survey was
different, I tried to throw it away but couldn’t. I had to take this sur-
vey and send it back to the marketing company.
So what made this survey stand out from all the others? A simple
one dollar bill placed in the envelope along with a note that read
“please accept this dollar bill for taking the time to fill out and
return our survey.” BOOM! That’s all it took—a fresh, crisp one
dollar bill to make me give this marketing company exactly what
they wanted.
As I got involved in real estate, I thought about how I could use this
marketing strategy to get cash buyers and then a thought occurred to
me: What would happen if I included some type of gift in the letters
that I send out to potential cash buyers? They would feel compelled
to contact me just as I felt that I had to complete and return that
marketing survey.
So I decided to give it a try. I didn’t have money to put in the letters

so I had to come up with a different incentive for these cash buyers.
As an extreme couponer, I have access to some of the best coupons
out there. I decided to put a simple coupon in each letter. Most of
the coupons were $5 or $10 dollars off dinner at a restaurant. I also
included a note that read “please accept this coupon for taking the
time to contact me or pass along my business cards.”
The response was phenomenal. I had buyers contacting me within

days. I wanted to make sure this wasn’t just a fluke, so I decided
to try it again. As an extreme couponer, I also constantly receive
free gift cards to different stores or restaurants. In my next batch
of cash buyer letters I included one of these gift cards and another
note thanking them for taking the time to contact me or pass
along my business cards.
The response was even greater. Not only were the cash buyers that
I sent letters to contacting me, but strangers that these cash buyers
had given my card to were also contacting me. Another time I at-
tended a conference where I won a free iPad. I already had an iPad,
so I decided to use this new one as a bribe to gain more cash buyers
as well as reward the cash buyers I already had.
I sent out another batch of letters to potential cash buyers and told
them that if they contacted me within two days they would be en-
36 DEAN GRAZIOSI
tered into a contest to win a free iPad. I also sent a letter to all of my
current cash investors along with some hot real estate deals going on
in my area. I told my current buyers that if they completed a deal with
me in the next two weeks that they would be entered into a contest
for a free iPad.
There was not a single person that I contacted that didn’t respond
to me within a couple of days. What’s the moral of this story?
People love getting free stuff. I don’t care if you’re rich, poor or
somewhere in between, everyone loves contests and free prizes!
It is really quite simple to implement my secret. When I am try-

ing to find a new cash buyer, I send them a letter with the script
provided in Dean Graziosi’s book “30 Days to Real Estate Cash.”
I include in these letters a stack of my business cards and some
type of gift (money, coupons, gift cards, etc.) along with a note
that thanks them for taking the time to contact me or pass along
my business cards.
I also frequently have contests with my current cash buyers where

they can win free prizes. This latter strategy works especially well
when there aren’t many hot deals going on to let your buyers know
that you still care about and are interested in them. And there you
have it, the secret to overflowing your cash buyers bucket!”
Dean’s Comments:
Alisa’s story could be in more than one section of this book. It’s here
because she assimilated information, learned something and used
the strategy successfully. When she responded to a survey, she real-
ized what motivated her to do so. Then she just put that motivation
technique into practice to build her buyer list.
This proves a very important point; that you don’t need to be an inno-
vator to succeed. Nearly every day you’re exposed to some successful
marketing technique that can work for you as a real estate investor.
Most of the time you don’t even notice. What you need to do start-
ing right now is to start paying attention. You never know when the
perfect opportunity will present itself.
The idea of a restaurant coupon can work well for you, and it’s
easy to find one that represents a valuable discount. The site
www.restaurant.com is set up for buying discount coupons for
thousands of restaurants. It’s likely that you’ll have many choices
in your area. You can see that in this case you’ll get a $25 coupon
for just $10.00.
Take Action:
First, just start paying attention to the direct mail, email and other
solicitations you get from every type of business. Take notes when
one of these marketing approaches appeals to you as a potential
customer, not as a marketer.
Take each of these appealing marketing tactics and analyze them in

relation to real estate investing. Would they work to interest moti-
vated sellers in calling you? Or, would they work as Alisa’s approach
to add cash buyers to your list? Once you see a way to use a tech-
nique in your business, give it a try!
38 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Small Town Bank No Season Refi

Steven K. in California
The Result:
“We’re cashing out rehab home deals using local banks.”

“The biggest part of the secret is our training and what we learned
from Dean and Matt. Using that knowledge we can talk to the banks
and they see that we know what we’re talking about when it comes
to real estate investing.
First we get a great deal on the property we buy. We fix the property
up nice and then have the bank come out and look at the property. In
some small towns the bankers know the property and are amazed at
how great the property looks after just some small rehab. They then
loan us 80% of the value of the property from the bank.
We could not have done this without the help from Dean and Matt.
The success academy was a great help also.”
Dean’s Comments:
Steven’s secret tells us something important. When you want to do
business with investors and bankers, you won’t get far unless they
believe that you know what you’re doing. They are thoroughly edu-
cated in their business and expect the same from you if you’re going
to do business with them.
Don’t overlook credit unions either. They’re invested in the commu-

nity, and they’re usually locally managed with local decision-making
authority. Because they’re non-profit and save on income taxes, they
can sometimes offer better loan rates than banks.
You can get all of your marketing right, but if you don’t know what
you’re talking about when you get in front of a prospect you’re going
to get nowhere fast. If you’re finding yourself pitching over and over
without results, take a look at your education and see if you can spiff
it up a bit.
Take Action:
Simply, get the education. Learn everything you can about real estate
investing in your chosen niche markets. Once you believe you’ve
been educated enough, plan your approach to each type of prospect.
Practice what you’re going to say and what their possible objections
or doubts may be. There’s no substitute for confidence, and that’s
what you’ll have if you know your business.
40 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: DG Family Blessing

Charles J. in Washington
The Result:
“We purchased two properties with this secret at a market value
of $275,000. Over the next 30 years we will realize $765,000 in
retirement income from these properties. There is no retirement
account that could ever generate this great a return. I now own 4
rental properties and have 3 properties that we have sold to buy-
ers on owner contract @ 8 % or greater return on our investment.
We now have a great residual income that will carry us well be-
yond our lifetime in the mortal status anyway. But the best plea-
sure of all is that we will be able to leave our 2 daughters and
grandchildren assets that will make their lives a little easier as they
go forward.”
The HOW of this Secret:

“This may seem overly simple, but it’s really just three steps:
It’s simple but it works. More in detail:
My secret was discovered after purchasing several other real estate

programs available on the market. That was when I discovered the
DG family and real estate took on a whole new meaning in my life.
And if not for my purchase of the DG books and education tools we
would have had to work well into our elder years. So my secret is for
you to get the DG educational materials and get out there and work
the system for all it’s worth.
And who knows; maybe your desire is to far exceed the success we
have had. Believe me, the sky is the limit. We were happy with the
number of deals we made and achieved our goals of a great residual
income that will only grow as the market evolves and with rent val-
ues increasing. We sold two of the properties that we purchased
with the great knowledge we gained from Dean’s great educational
materials.”
Dean’s Comments:
This isn’t just about buying my real estate investment course materi-
als. It’s about understanding that nothing comes easily in life or busi-
ness. A thorough education in what you’re trying to accomplish is
critical. However, Charles makes it clear what you must do with this
education in two simple steps.
They’re simple but they’re not easy. You must set goals and then
work what you’ve learned toward achieving those goals. When I
say it isn’t easy, I mean that it isn’t going to fall in your lap. Every-
thing worthwhile requires effort and dedication. We can give you the
knowledge; you just need to apply it.
Take Action:
Action in this example and secrets story requires a bit of goal-setting.
What are your goals for success and a better life? If you don’t know,
you need to sit down, take some time out, and figure them out. Until
you have a clear picture of where you want to be and when you
want to be there, you’ll not be able to set interim goals to make it
happen.
Something I discovered in the past has helped me a lot in this exer-

cise. I found that what we first believe to be our goal is not neces-
sarily the root goal. I learned an exercise in asking myself the “why”
question when I was trying to set goals.
The first thing most of us say when we’re asked about our goals for a
real estate investment business is to “make a profit and improve our
financial situation.” This is basically true, but it’s rarely the root of
42 DEAN GRAZIOSI
our desires. By asking myself a series of “why” questions, I’ve been

able to clarify my goals.
“Why do I want to make a profit and improve my financial situa-

tion?” I found that the answer was that I didn’t want my life to be
as difficult as the life my parent’s lived. However, there’s another
why question there. “Why do I not want a life like my parent’s
lived?”
It really becomes simple when you do this exercise. I don’t want my

family and children to have the same challenges I’ve had in my life.
It’s all boiled down into a desire to make the world better for my fam-
ily and my children. NOW I’ve come to the root goal!
Take action by using this exercise to set your true goals, get the edu-
cation and knowledge you need to move toward achieving those
goals, then make it happen!
The Secret:
Ling L. in Florida
The Result:
“It’s our first deal with no money of our own, and it’s a great success.
We purchased a home at a great low price below value and the bank
financed it with $6,000 cash out to us! We’re now renting it out with
$1,000 per month in cash flow.”

“I said the secret is Dean Graziosi because I’ve learned everything I
need to know for deals like my first through Dean’s courses and web-
site. I’m focused totally on passive income. I’m completely surprised
at how easy my first deal was.
As talking to people has always been a weakness of mine, I turned

to the Dean Graziosi support line for help. I also read every story on
the Dean Graziosi website for motivation. My questions are always
answered, and if I run into a stumbling block I know that I’ll get the
help I need from these DG resources.
Dean’s Comments:
I’m not sharing Ling’s secret with you to brag about our Dean Graziosi
support. It’s important to know that each and every one of the As-
similation secrets you’re leaning here is of great value. However, if
you run into something that stops you cold or slows you down, it’s
important to know where to turn for help.
44 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
Take a tour through my website at DeanGraziosi.com and check out
the many articles, all of the instructional materials, our discussion
forums, Weekly Wisdom videos and material and much more. Par-
ticipate in the forums and ask questions. It’s mostly free, and you can
directly engage with students and other investors.
This is important, as you don’t have to take everything you read on

faith. There are dozens of ongoing topics and you can ask questions
of others about anything that interests you in real estate investment.
Ask hard questions and expect real answers. It’s all preparation for
your first successful deal.
Check out all of these great site section links!

The Secret: YGWYP – You Get What You Put

Trineka F. in Texas
The Result:
“I started out broke, credit poor and a dream chaser. I now have
landed a property from a county tax sale. I bought it for $11,500
and sold it in a flip for $28,000 within seven days of marketing it.”

“I began my journey into real-estate investing with an open-mind, a
strong desire to learn all that I can about it, and a burning desire to
succeed at it. I educated myself, took online courses, participated in
forums, attended live events and took off full-speed.
My results from using my “secret” have changed my life for the bet-
ter. I began with my vision, a desire to learn, I have a willingness to
change, I stayed committed and taking action, and I am persistent in
everything that I do. My secret is yielding great results.
My best personal secret for achieving results with my REI is: win-
ning over realtors to send me great deals before they go to MLS.
Great business etiquette and networking skills is very essential in
this business. Make a contact every day and see how your world
changes.
I follow the four steps I mentioned above. Educate yourself, (it doesn’t
matter what you are doing), be persistent, (follow-thru with what you
start), be open to change, (your mindset and actions), stay committed
to the cause to achieve maximum success. Do not be afraid to fail.
Happy Investing and see you at the TOP!”
46 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Dean’s Comments:
Trineka makes it clear that she did a lot of preparatory study and
educated herself in real estate investing. She did most of the things
others do who want to break into the business. However, she says
something that makes all of the difference: She took off “full speed.”
This secret could have gone into the Action Section, as she definitely
makes it very clear that she took action once she believed she had
learned what she needed. However, just as important, she tells you
that she took courses, read books, and attended seminars. She “as-
similated” a lot of information before she took off.
Take Action:
Get your education. Take a course, read a book (you’re doing that
now!), attend a seminar, ask questions and learn everything you can.
At some point you’ll be thinking that you’ve learned what you need
to put together a deal. That’s when you don’t want to hesitate. Do
what Trineka did and take action … “take off full speed.”
The Secret: Mini Jobs

John W. in Ohio
The Result:
“My secret allows me to get double or even triple the amount of
chores, task and work done than I used to get done each day. It
eliminates distractions and allows me to focus.”

“This may sound funny to some folks, especially if you are not border-
line A-D-D like me, but here goes. I have a hard time staying focused
on one thing for very long whether it is due to having a big family
(wife and 4 children) or just life in general or it’s just me thinking
about everything I have to do at once. I have found myself always
feeling like I had to get this or that done before I could work on real
estate.
48 DEAN GRAZIOSI
So here is what I did. I decided to sit down each day early in the AM
and break my day up into Mini Jobs. I categorize all of my things that I
want to work on and break them up into one hour jobs. No more, no
less. If I have a lot of errands to run, instead of running around all day,
I allow myself one hour to do that. If I don’t get them all done then
they get an hour the next day as well. If I need to work on scheduling
kids travel sports for the month, I work on that for an hour. If I need
to make phone calls, they get one hour.
This has allowed me to put in an hour in each day for real estate with-
out feeling like I need to feel guilty about not working with my kids
or whatever other item may come up. Since doing this I have been
able to work on my buyers list and lenders list and begin working
with a realtor to help me look for properties because I assign myself
the Mini Job of looking for buyers or lenders or calling realtors. It has
really helped me get off the ground again and I am looking forward
to doing another deal.”
Dean’s Comments:
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from students that they’re
having a hard time carving out the time necessary to learn about real
estate investing. Even if they get that done because they can do it at
night, they bump into time problems in meeting people, attending
investment club meetings and all of the other activities you’re reading
about in this book.
John did a little research into time management and came up with his
own system to get all of his family stuff done and still have the time
to work on his real estate investment business. Even if he was mak-
ing some time before, he was apparently feeling a bit guilty about
taking that time away from his family. Now he allocates all of his
time in these bite-size mini job chunks. It’s a great solution, as he’s
feeling better about working on his business while still taking care of
his family and daily tasks.
Take Action:
No matter where you are in your investing business, from a novice to
having a few deals under your belt, take a moment to think about
your time and how you spend it each day. Especially, if you’re feeling
like there isn’t enough time to take care of your life’s business as well
as your investing, it’s time to implement a system.
If John’s system doesn’t seem right for you, then try others. There
are plenty of print day planners and a lot of software and online solu-
tions, even for your smartphones, so you can take your plan with you.
Success comes from an organized and dedicated approach to your
business, so act on building a system.
50 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Expertise is Rewarded in Investment
This Assimilation section could have been titled Education or some-

thing similar, as it’s all about gathering knowledge to become an
expert at what you do. However, assimilation also includes plain old
“osmosis;” the “soaking-in” of knowledge through the association
with other investors and people in the real estate and construction
industries.
I can tell you that joining a local real estate investment club will be an
eye-opener for you. Many of my students tell me later that they had
no idea how many people in their area were into real estate invest-
ing until they attended an investment club meeting. Sometimes they
even see people they know in business or personally, but they never
knew these people had real estate investments.
Our lively discussion groups on the website are full of great ideas and
techniques. Our students happily share their knowledge, as members
are all around the country and not in competition locally. Partner-
ships are also born in these groups, sometimes crossing state lines or
stretching across the country.
Take some courses, attend some seminars and do thorough online

and local market research. However, don’t underestimate the value
of simple interaction with investors and real estate professionals in
clubs, groups or on social media sites.
You’re making straight A’s so far; just keep on moving forward to

build your knowledge and confidence.
Analysis
Research is what I’m doing when
I don’t know what I’m doing.
— Wernher von Braun
What are we “analyzing” as real estate investors? We’re researching

real estate markets, doing CMAs, Comparative Market Analysis, and
studies to determine property value, and researching rental demand
and property requirements.
We’re checking out county records of ownership, taxes, liens, encum-

brances and more. Then there are the many websites for locating
listed properties and foreclosures. We’re building buyer and seller
lists as well. It’s not rocket science, but even Wernher von Braun
indicates in the quote that he did research.
In any investment activity profits are better with thorough research.

Lax research is a contributor to lower returns or even losses when big
mistakes are made. Creating systems to make analysis and market
research more efficient will help, as you’ll find it easier to commit to
deep research if it’s efficient. You’ll learn in this section how others
are streamlining and conducting their market research.
In this section you’re getting into the meat of real estate investment
business practices; locating properties, evaluating their condition,
52 DEAN GRAZIOSI
checking out their features for rental or resale value, doing value
calculations, and analyzing the rental market for demand and rents
you can charge. There’s a lot of great information in these secrets,
so enjoy.
The Secret: Auction Buyers

Pete J. in Colorado
The Result:
“My wholesales typically sell within 24 hours or less when including
these auction buyers.”
The HOW of the secret:

“I’ve come to realize the best buyers are cash buyers that know what
they want and make quick decisions. The buyers that fit this model
the best are the public trustee buyers at the weekly county sale.
(1) Go to the county’s public trustee website after each week’s sale
and record who bought properties that week. After time, you
will begin to see trends on who is buying, what they are buying,
where they are buying, how much they spend, etc.
(2) Add these buyers to your buyers list.
(3) Include these buyers on a postcard when you’re advertising a

wholesale deal.
54 DEAN GRAZIOSI
(4) Give your email address as the means to respond (if they re-
spond, from that point on you can use their email). Also give
them an option to opt-out.
(5) Over time all the best buyers will be just an email away.
Therefore, every week I go to the county’s public sale website and

record who is buying properties. It gives me their name, company
name, their mailing address, the type of properties they buy, the price
range in which they buy, the areas where they buy, etc. I get all of
this information without having to spend time with meetings, talk-
ing, and data collection. I add them to my buyers list and they are
included in my wholesale mailings (with the option to opt-out if they
want to).”
Dean’s Comments:
A basic requirement for wholesaling and flipping properties is to have
a strong buyer list. You can’t wholesale or flip a property without a
buyer. Locating and cultivating the business of cash buyers will be a
major focus for you in your business.
Pete has given you an amazing tool for locating these cash buyers
without a lot of research and cold-calling or mailing. It’s logical, but
we can many times miss the obvious. These buyers are exactly the
type you want, and this technique gives you a head start on building
relationships with them.
Even if you don’t adopt this strategy for building your buyer list, the
experience you’ll gain attending these auctions is quite valuable.
You’ll also quickly get the pulse of the market price trends.
Take Action:
If you’re not ready to do real deals yet, visit the county real estate
sales to familiarize yourself with how they work. It’s never too early
to start building a buyer list, so get to a sale, meet people and get
their contact information.
Keep a record of the prices at which these buyers are getting these
properties and the condition of the homes. You’ll want to file away
the types of properties each investor desires and what they’re willing
to spend. It’s going to give you a lot more credibility when you ap-
proach them later with prospective deals.
56 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Net Worth Booster

Kerry B. in Indiana
The Result:
“I am working on my fourth deal this year using this technique. My
best deal using this strategy is one in which my purchase cost in the
property was 28k. I then located a rent-to-own buyer, set up a one
year lease with an option to buy at 58k with 2k down and $500 per
month rent.
I gave them 50% in rent credits for improvements. My tenant buy-

ers moved in as-is and started improving and have paid me for six
months. My total expense with taxes & insurance was less than 30k.
Let’s look at the ROI: 58k + 3k rent = 61k - 30k invested (includes my
costs for taxes and insurance) = 31k profit.”

“Watch for properties that fit my template, evaluate the ROI quickly,
make offers and get the property under contract while the other guy
is thinking about the deal. Most of all I am confident in my knowl-
edge and abilities but always stay teachable.
I say I have a template, but it’s really more “seat of the pants” with
the right criteria for a good investment in mind:
• I watch for properties that have posted at least 2 or 3 price

reductions.
• My goal is a purchase at 40% or less of current market value.
• The home must be livable or at least in need of reasonable

repairs my tenants can do.
• I like a maintenance free exterior.
• My goal is to at least double my money.
I watch HUDs and REOs to find properties with maintenance-free

exteriors, decent windows, decent roofs and in average areas. I look
for livable homes that need TLC, wait for at least two price reductions
and then I offer 45-50% of list. As soon as I close I use yard signs &
Craigslist to market to first time buyers and renters. I then do a one
year lease/option.
The purchase price to the tenant buyer is at least double my invest-

ment with at least $1,000 in a non-refundable down, or more if I can
get it. They then pay me $500 to $600 per month in rent with 50%
rent credit toward the purchase price.
The tenant buyer is responsible for all repairs and upgrades. I refer
them to a mortgage broker & make sure they have a good chance of
obtaining a loan within one year or I don’t do the deal. It is very easy
to find buyers for these homes. If you do these deals with private
money the ROI is astronomical!
If I can’t fund the deal myself, I take on an investor. With the dismal
savings rates these days, I’m able to find investors who love the idea
of a 5% to 10% return over the short term.”
Dean’s Comments:
Lease purchase is going to be a more valuable tool to investors in the
future if trends continue in the markets. Fewer people are qualified
with credit scores to purchase a home and be approved for a mort-
gage. Even fewer are able to put together the higher down payments
required by lenders these days.
58 DEAN GRAZIOSI
If you think it through, the investor offering this type of purchase is

providing a great service for the tenant buyer. They want a home but
can’t purchase right now. With a rent-to-buy agreement, the ten-
ant can enjoy a home they intend to own while they gather together
the down payment and work on raising their credit scores. By giving
them a 50% rent credit, Kerry is helping them to put together a down
payment.
Take Action:
If this type of deal appeals to you, begin to do some market research
in your area. How much are people paying to rent single family
homes? Are there other lease-purchase ads in newspapers? Is there
availability of suitable properties for this strategy?
Be sure that you have enough knowledge or a good resource person

to accurately evaluate the condition of properties. You don’t want to
take on one needing a new roof. Kerry states that maintenance free
exteriors and decent roofs are required for this strategy.
Take a look at the other side of the deal, as we have successful stu-
dents who actually acquire properties with lease purchases and sell
them the same way. They get a nice positive cash flow along the
way as well.
It works this way. The investor finds a motivated seller who hasn’t
been able to sell their home, negotiates a below-value selling price
on a lease purchase three to five years out. The down payment or
non-refundable deposit is paid and the owner can move on.
The investor has a tenant buyer or several candidates lined up before

doing this deal. They immediately enter into a lease purchase agree-
ment with a tenant buyer and move them into the home. The new
buyer is paying a higher rent than the investor is paying the owner,
which is the positive cash flow.
The negotiated selling price is also higher to lock in a profit at the

other end of both leases. A higher non-refundable deposit will also
provide some cash at the front end. This is a strategy that’s a bit more
complicated, but it can get you into the game with little or no cash
out of pocket.
Here’s an example with some plausible numbers as we’ve been told

by successful lease purchase investors:
Investor finds a motivated but unsuccessful seller.
Home is worth $165,000.
Lease purchase for 3 years option to buy

at that time for $145,000.
Current mortgage payment is $495/month.
Lease is set for that amount monthly.
Non-refundable option/lease fee is $1,500.
Investor’s tenant buyer agrees to 3 year lease purchase.
Non-refundable deposit to investor is $2,000.
Lease monthly will be $695.
Improvements by tenant will credit against down payment.
Purchase price in 3 years will be $189,000.

60 DEAN GRAZIOSI
THE RESULTS
$500 up-front into investor’s pocket.
$44,000 profit at resale.
$200/month positive cash flow for 3 years.
This is a no-cash deal for the investor providing good cash flow and
an excellent profit when the tenant buyer exercises their purchase
option. Should they bail out during the lease term, another tenant
buyer can be installed. If they go the term and don’t exercise their
option to buy, the investor can exit their obligation to buy as well.
However, some preparation would have them ready to buy and flip
the property if the equity is sufficient.
The Secret: PO-MANS Comp

Carl R. in Alabama
The Result:
“This secret gives me the confidence that I’m working with fairly
strong numbers during negotiations with sellers.”

Carl provided a step-by-step walk-through of how he uses Zillow.
com to create a fast CMA, Comparative Market Analysis, to go into
negotiations with the seller armed with recent property sold informa-
tion. His method results, just like a CMA, with a value for the subject
property.
It’s a great system if Zillow has the sold prices for your market area.
However, rather than use his verbal description of the process, I’ll take
you through it below with screen shots from Zillow and an example
in Alabama.
Dean’s Comments:
We take a trip over to Zillow.com and choose a property at random
to be our “subject property.” This is the property we’re thinking of
buying, and we want to do our own valuation for a meeting with the
seller. Once we’re viewing the property on screen, we see down the
right side a partial list of similar properties in the area recently sold.
62 DEAN GRAZIOSI
We see that there are prices next to the sold dates, so this is going to
work for us. By clicking on the link at the bottom arrow, we can see
all of the sold properties in a chart, just a few of them in this screen
shot:
It’s great how Zillow has done a lot of the work for us. We have
columns for sold price, bedrooms, baths, lot size, and distance from
our subject property and the sold price per square foot. Now we filter
and sort our data to filter down to the most similar homes, nearby,
and sold within the previous three to six months.
We do that by copying out the columns of data with their headings

and pasting them into an Excel spreadsheet to get something like this:
The screen shot above shows a filter to choose the previous six months
from the “Sold On” column. We’ll get rid of all of the older comps.
We just keep doing this for each column we want to filter, and these
are the filters recommended by Carl:
• Bedrooms (same as subject property or +/- 1)
• Baths (same as subject property or +/- 1)
• Square footage (+/- 200)
• Distance (less than ½ mile)
Once we’ve filtered down to the most similar recently sold properties
very nearby and roughly the same size, we can use the Excel function
to average the Price/Square/Foot column.
64 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Once we have that average sold price per square foot for our compa-
rable properties, we multiply it by the square footage of our subject
property to get our value.
Now we can go into the negotiation with the seller armed with real
world numbers and the confidence to cut a great deal.
Take Action:
Start practicing on Zillow.com with properties in your area. Enter an
address and get the comparable recent sales, do the filter process,
and see how you come out. Do it on your own home if you want.
The Secret: Online Drive-bys

Mike D. in Arizona
The Result:
“I made $13,000 this year on two deals. I also added future possible
sellers that I put into my database for a mail campaign. I’ve also
added a number of investors who responded and I’ve built relation-
ships with them that may lead to other deals.”

“You need a computer, Internet access, Zillow.com, and a program
called Sitexdata.com at a cost of $125 per month. The benefit of
Sitex is it shows you any recent mortgages, refi’s, credit lines on the
property. This helps you to determine if there is enough equity. It also
gives the home owner’s tax mailing address (great way to build ab-
sentee owner list) so you don’t have to log on to the county website.
Once you have Zillow and Sitex up, you need to pick your farm area;
for example phoenix 85020. Zillow will bring up the outline of the
zip and I start at the top right and zoom in then start driving. I click
on every house going up and down all the streets in the zip code.
66 DEAN GRAZIOSI
I take the estimated Zillow and Sitex value and cross reference with
Sitex and determine if there’s enough equity to send a letter based on
the encumbrances it shows. If the property is upside-down you can
choose not to send a letter or to create a short sale campaign. This is
a great way to tap in to owners that don’t have junky homes that you
normally wouldn’t send a letter to if actually driving by.”
Dean’s Comments:
Mike, like many of our students, has seized on technology as a valu-
able real estate investment research tool. As far as the Sitex site, you
may be able to use other tools, such as courthouse sites, but Mike
obviously finds plenty of value for the service cost.
That’s the zoom-in of the Zillow page for the zip code and how you
can just move down a block and view the estimate of a home’s value.
Once you cross-reference with your other data site, whether the tax
records or a service like Sitex, you’ll have a clear picture of the status
of the home, value, liens and mortgages, and in some cases you’ll
know about default notices or other legal action.
Mike’s system probably pays for the Sitex service in gas and postage
savings several times over. However, it’s not the cost side we con-
centrate on in business; it’s the amount of profit an expense can help
us to generate. This system leverages technology to save time and
money and get more deals into Mike’s pipeline.
Take Action:
Do some research into your local courthouse and tax records to see if
the online access will work for your needs. Compare the data avail-
able for free with some paid services to make a decision as to which
will work best. Play with Zillow in your market area to make online
drive-by an easy process for you.
68 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: “I Call it Awesome”

Mike S. in New Hampshire
The Result:
“I just started using this secret, but I have been getting more leads
than I have ever had before. After implementing my secret, I’ve been
getting a 20% to 30% response rate within hours.”

“The best part is, I only talk to the people that have interest in selling
their properties. I automatically eliminate the people not willing to
sell by having interested seller contact me without having to talk to
anyone first. Not to mention, what I do for marketing is 100% FREE.
My market in NH is very slow and haven’t been able to achieve the

goals that I wanted. So I said to myself, I need to move markets with-
out physically moving. To wholesale properties around the country I
first go to Trulia Heat Map to figure out which markets are the most
popular markets with a median price. When I find those states, I
zoom in to do the same for that state’s counties.
I then do a double-check to find out how many absentee owners have

purchased in those counties or zip codes within the last 3-6 months
using Listsource.com. If the numbers work, I then go to Craigslist. I
look at all the posts under “Apt/Housing for Rent” and gather all the
phone numbers, email address, the post title as well as the post link
and copy them onto an excel spread sheet.
I find that you get a much better response using text messages, so
using Google Voice, I send a text message to all the numbers I’ve
collected asking if they would be interested in selling. These homes
will soon be vacant, if not already. The people I don’t hear back from
could possibly be land lines, so I then use Slydial to leave a voice mes-
sage to the people that have not responded. Slydial allows you to
leave a voice mail without ringing their phones.
In both the text and voice mail, I ask them to call me back if they are
interested in selling for cash. The only time I email people is when the
ads don’t provide a phone number to call. I also do this with FSBOs
on Craigslist as well as other sites like Zillow and FSBO.com.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is a great combination of ingenuity and technology. Mike found
that his local market didn’t offer enough opportunity, so he wanted
to expand. Using the Trulia Heat Map he is able to identify proper-
ties in his desired price ranges and get contact information for the
owners.
Using Google Voice or Slydial, he contacts them in a non-threatening

way that takes little of his time. Basically, he’s efficiently getting into
contact with a whole lot of homeowners with a direct message to call
him to sell for cash. As he says, it definitely increased his response
rates and he’s now wholesaling around the country.
Here’s part of a Trulia Heat Map in Chicago:

70 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
You don’t have to use these techniques outside of your local market
area, so you may want to investigate the technology and give it a try.
However, if you do want to expand your market and aren’t afraid
to long distance wholesale, you should definitely check out Mike’s
system.
Research and Due Diligence Rule

Other sections in this book put us into the right mindset, help us to
deal better with people, improve our negotiation skills and more.
This section is all about data, statistics, prices, numbers and market
demographics. This section is about putting together the numbers
of an investment deal.
A significant number of the ‘secrets’ in this section are about the use
of technology and the Internet in a real estate investment business.
There has never been more real estate market data available from
your home or office desk than today.
The time you spend in acquiring and learning tech tools and resources
will be time well-spent. When you consider that your real estate
investment business will always require a lot of research, data-gath-
ering and number-crunching, it just makes good sense to make the
process as efficient as possible.
It is highly likely that you have one or more computers and the Inter-
net at your disposal. If not, you can still use a library or wired coffee
shop as your research hub. A lot of this can also be done on a smart
phone if you’re on the go a lot.
You’ve learned how some of our students use spreadsheets and data
transfer tools to move information from one database to another and
manipulate it for their calculations and property valuation activities.
And, many of these resources are totally free! Use them to grow your
business and line your pockets.
APPRECIATION
Appreciation is a wonderful thing:
It makes what is excellent in others
belong to us as well.
— Voltaire
Voltaire couldn’t have made a more appropriate statement when

it comes to real estate investing. In this section our students share
their secrets involving team-building, negotiations, motivated
seller interactions, and working with the principals and support
persons in our transactions.
Excellence in these others with whom we work and negotiate be-

comes a profit multiplier in our real estate investment activities.
Sharing in these relationships is part of it. Understanding and
empathy when working with distressed homeowners are impor-
tant as well.
Another word for the secrets shared here is “teamwork.” Without

the appreciation of the situations, goals and assistance of others,
many investors would be far less profitable. Discussions among
students, real estate investment club interaction and teaming up
for results all contribute to your success.
72 DEAN GRAZIOSI
One thread running throughout this section is the necessity for

“listening.” Learn from the experiences of these students and
successful investors and you’ll be more successful in your business.
The Secret: Cross-Border Connecting

Pamela H. in Canada
The Result:
“I purchased a rental home in the U.S., and realized a 29 percent
Return on Investment as a rental after the finder’s fee.”

“I am Canadian and wanted to invest in the U.S. I teamed up with a
U.S. student. I bought a house he found and he has been an incred-
ibly supportive and a valuable source of information for managing my
investment in the U.S.”
“Team up with another student and you both win.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is excellent advice, and it’s easy to put it into play no matter what
your circumstances. You could be an investor in one state wanting to
invest in another, or it may not be distance-related at all. It’s possible
that another investor’s skills lie in different areas from yours and a
cooperative effort will be profitable for you both.
74 DEAN GRAZIOSI
An example that plays out often when our students get together
online or in meetings is in fix-and-flip investing. One student is re-
ally good at locating properties and knowing which will be the best
rentals after renovation. Another student has repair and contracting
experience, so the team is a real winning combination.
Take Action:
If you have any reservations about real estate investment, or if you’re
short cash you may need for a deal you’re considering, consider tak-
ing on a partner. Half of something is more than all of nothing. One
way to find investors is a resource that keeps cropping up throughout
our secrets: Craigslist.
A quick search of Craigslist for “investor partner” in one city turned

up the results in the screen shot. You can see that there are others
out there wanting partners in various types of real estate deals.
The Secret: The Less I Talk the More I Make

Keith B in California
The Result:
“You see I wait until I hear what I need to close the deal with them
and then I wrap the deal around what they need. I bought a single
wide trailer because the lady had back taxes and liens. I fixed all that
and cleared her name (her issue) fixed it up and made a 32k profit
over five years...”

“First, I have a valuable resource in my sister Roberta, as she is a great
help with the ‘people model.’
I have OPM, Other People’s Money waiting in the wings for the next
deal that comes along, which takes all the stress out of the deal. I
am relaxed when I talk with a seller and they can see that on my face
and body. I am big on reading a person’s body position when they
are talking (law enforcement). This is my big secret when I let the
person talk about what they need out of the deal. An example: they
will have to move out and find another place so can we close next
month. I would fix the problem if they agree to the lower price by
letting them stay there.
I use the approach of letting the seller tell me what is the best thing
that can happen for them. I meet with the seller and tell them what I
do as far as putting people into homes. I ask them what it is that they
need or what problem they are having. Then I close my big mouth
and let them close the deal.”
76 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Dean’s Comments:
This seems like a simple secret, really not very secret at all. Being
open to your prospect and listening to their needs is the best way to
structure a deal that meets their needs and yours as well.
Another very important low key thing we learn here is about Keith’s
“buyers/investors waiting in the wings.” Building a detailed list of
investor buyers is crucial to most real estate investment strategies.
Think about the order of things in Keith’s secret:
1. He has investor buyers waiting for deals. He knows what

kind of properties they want, how much they’re willing to
pay, and in which market areas.
2. He gets in front of a motivated seller in one of these pre-

ferred areas and in the type of property one or more of his
buyers prefer.
3. He gets the numbers from the seller prospect, but also their
goals and needs regarding selling their home.
4. Now it’s simply a matter of deciding that he can meet their

needs and those of one or more of his investor buyers.
This is the Appreciation section, and that is illustrated by Keith’s ap-

preciation of his relationships with people on his buyers list, and
appreciation of the needs of the prospective seller. This is how he
creates win-win-win deals.
Take Action:
We keep coming back to taking action to build a strong buyers list.
The confidence you get from knowing you have a home for your
deal will come through in your negotiations with sellers. This is one
market concept where it’s better to have buyers before you even have
a product.
Start working on building your buyer list using secrets and strategies
you learn in this book.
78 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Vet Helping Vets

Tina K. in Oregon
The Result:
“I have received over 200 leads that fit my personality.”

“I was determined when I retired from the military that I wanted to
help veterans in my area. This secret made that possible.
I talked with the title company in my area about how many VA loans
were falling behind in their payments. She said that was an odd ques-
tion since most of the investors looked for conventional loan leads. I
explained to her that if I was going to do this investment business I
had to find a way to help veterans in the process. The lady thought
that my idea was brilliant so she gave me the list of VA loans in the
area that were possibly going to go into foreclosure.
I used that list and started talking to all of the veterans that were
about to lose their VA loan benefit. Since I had encountered this exact
situation back in 1996 I know that if you short sale on your home
or find a cash buyer you do not lose your VA loan completely. If it is
allowed to foreclose, it is normally gone. I was struggling after my
divorce and had to file bankruptcy. I had a cash buyer buy my house
before they could foreclose on me. I learned years later that since I
allowed that to happen I did not lose my VA loan benefit entirely just
a portion. I have since used my VA loan again and have purchased a
beautiful home.
Dean’s Comments:
This secret is a good one to share, though it’s not about you going
out and specializing in helping veterans. This could be a good niche
for you, but the important thing is that it is a “niche” market.
You’re lucky if you aren’t in a highly competitive area for real estate
investors, but most of us are. Competition tends to gravitate to the
easiest market and strategies, kind of like water seeking the path of
least resistance. Finding a less popular niche can be a great strategy.
Take Action:
If you want to make your business life easier with less competitive
pressure, think about possible niche markets in your area that may
work for you. There may be none, but don’t take that for granted.
Niches in real estate investment can include:
• Estate liquidations.
• Employees of major
businesses.
• Simply geographical or
neighborhoods.
• Military families, not necessarily veterans.
• Educational institution employees or students.
Take a look around and try to identify large groups of people with
common interests or lifestyles. You just may find a profitable niche
market for your real estate investment business.
80 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: LLC-Listen, Learn, Control

Jay T. in NY
The Result:
One example of a result I once had from using my secret is making

a HUGE amount of money in my area on a real estate deal. Now my
area is not a high income market but I consider this a home run!! My
secret netted me thousands of dollars in one deal because I imple-
mented it to the fullest extent. This one secret also has given me the
opportunity to network and meet some pretty amazing individuals
that have taught me how to triple my income in 30 days!!

LISTENING to motivated sellers LISTENING to your mentor LISTENING
to your buyers LISTENING to your lender/investor LISTEN to find the
magic buttons!!
This is EXACTLY how I use my secret: whenever I make a call or per-

sonally communicate with my sellers, I use what my mentors sug-
gested in their teachings and ask certain questions then STOP talking
and LISTEN to their answers without interrupting.
It is natural to want to respond sometimes with more questions or to

keep talking. When you ask them something just stop and let them
talk about the question and see how you can help them. I have found
that they will keep on talking and give you an abundance of info that
you never thought possible. They will tell you exactly what they NEED
and you can in turn fill that need.
In so doing I have found that in later communications you can CON-

TROL the negotiation because you will be giving the seller what they
want and need. When you CONTROL the urge to keep talking and
just stay quiet for a few extra seconds, the seller or buyer feels THEY
have to keep talking and then they open up to communicate more
and more about their situation and what their wants and needs are.
This secret is golden because I have learned some things that I thought
would never come out of just a phone call that could change some-
one’s path in their real estate income. One instance is being on the
phone with a seller and LISTENING to them for AN HOUR without say-
ing I have to go. I learned about another two to four potential deals
on that call. Another example is learning from the same call that this
seller is a real estate agent that wants to work with me.
Do this: ask a question then just LISTEN as long as you can until you
get the urge to hang up.....then LISTEN some more. The buyer, seller
or whoever you are talking to will divulge extremely important infor-
mation as long as you let them keep talking and DO NOT INTERRUPT.
Dean’s Comments:
This may seem like the same advice you’ve heard before, but listening
in a negotiation has been proven by many master negotiators to be
the strategy that creates a major advantage for you.
Especially with motivated and distressed sellers, there’s a story there.

Listening and letting them vent a little and tell their story sets the
tone of the conversation. They will almost always end up telling you
something that will help you to create a win-win deal structure.
Take Action:
Start practicing this listening skill in your everyday life, not just in ne-
gotiations. It takes around three weeks to change a habit, so keep at
it until you find it is second nature for you to ask questions and then
wait them out for more detailed answers.
82 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Winning With Compassion

Shirley P. in South Carolina
The Result:
“This deal is helping me to create lease purchase deals out of thin air
with FSBO sellers.”

“My tip is a very non-technical aspect of REI. Although I have only
done two deals and just recently started working deals again after a
one year break, this tip has helped and is helping me. Hopefully it can
help someone else too. I work with FSBOs almost entirely.
I know that homeowners have an emotional attachment to the home

almost always if it was in the family. For that reason they overprice
the house. I think it is more of a sub-conscious decision that if it is
overpriced, it won’t sell as quickly; therefore they don’t have to face
the inevitable as soon. But sometimes this is not the case and they just
want to get the most they can, and they will hold out ‘til the cows
come home.
My remedy and what has worked for me is to show them on paper

and in detail how they can get not only their asking price but also
much more when all is said and done by doing a lease option. I have a
house under contract now using that very strategy. The owner would
not hear of it at first because he wanted it off his hands. After having
it listed with real estate agencies for six months he called me back.
He was not the easiest to sell on the idea but he was more cautious
than most on the legalities involved. Now he is handing out my cards
to other people even though we don’t have a tenant yet.
I’m not saying that everyone will accept the offer to do a lease option
right away, but if it is explained correctly and with compassion for
their feelings and their reservations, most people will listen to you like
they think you know everything there is to know about real estate. In
fact the homeowner I’m working with now told me I know more than
any real estate agent he had talked to. Yes really! This is not really
a secret, but it’s my secret. I put myself in their shoes and feel what
they’re feeling and I say things to them that I would want someone
to say to me if I were in their same situation.
As stated above, my ability to show empathy is the single most im-

portant thing to achieve results. I literally “feel” their pain, not only
from an emotional standpoint, but also from a financial standpoint.
Act like you are the one selling a home that your parents lived in for
35 or 40 years, or you’re the one who felt like you had to have $85k
dollars for a house with a FMV of $63k and that has already been
rehabbed, or that you’re the one that a real estate agent has humili-
ated when you told him the asking price. I put myself in the sellers’
shoes. That’s it!!”
Dean’s Comments:
This would be a good place to again go over the benefits of a lease
purchase to all of the involved parties:
• Seller – They need to sell, but for some reason have not
been able to do so. It could be the over-priced situation
that Shirley tells us about. This allows them to move on
with their lives and ultimately get a better price for their
home.
• Investor – The investor who has done the due diligence

will be taking over control of a home with a lease payment
that covers all of the mortgage and escrow, taxes, etc. This
lease amount is low enough that the investor can place
a tenant into the home for a lease amount that creates
84 DEAN GRAZIOSI
positive cash flow. If executing a double lease purchase

strategy, the new tenant also leases-to-buy and agrees to a
purchase price with a profit as well.
• Tenant-buyer – The tenant buyer can’t purchase at the

time due to credit issues or lack of a down payment. By
leasing to purchase, they have time to fix their financial
issues and they are living in the home they intend to own
eventually.
These are all reasons why lease purchase is a great strategy.
Take Action:
Study the lease purchase and double lease purchase strategies and
the laws in your state. These transactions require agreements or con-
tracts blessed or prepared by an attorney, so take care.
The primary consideration is that the mortgage payment and escrow

be low enough and/or prevailing rents high enough to create an ac-
ceptable positive cash flow throughout the lease. Secondarily, there
should be a profit on the selling end if everyone exercises their option
in a double lease purchase situation.
The Secret: Emphatic Win-Win Strategy

Krishna A. in Georgia
The Result:
“I get deals combined with positive cash flow that also combine to
bring me established cash buyers, building my buyer network.”

“I do not sell; I help you buy from me.
The secret I would like to share is the strategy to win the confidence
of the cash buyers and sellers in me, by understanding their mutual
needs. In short, I do not sell to them, by pushing my needs on to
them. Rather, I facilitate information sharing so they buy from me,
thus ending in a win-win situation”.
1. Do not “chase money” as the primary motive in any trans-

action. Example: Do no start by saying ‘I must sell.’ Try
‘Here is a cash flow opportunity for a buy and hold investor
with details...’
86 DEAN GRAZIOSI
2. Create the need; anticipate and provide necessary informa-

tion for informed decision making. Ex. ‘Let me help you
make your first deal and let us profit mutually’
3, Adopt Empathy to think for the cash buyer and seller to

eliminate the fear in their decision-making process. Ex:
Spell out how I built-in exit strategies in the deal, I offer
collaboration towards a win-win completion. NO GREED.
This worked for me before and continues to work for me
now.”
Dean’s Comments:
We’re constantly reminding investors and our students that a strong
buyer list is an absolute necessity for many real estate investment
strategies. Krishna restates this, and gives you a way to approach
potential cash buyers.
Business is a series of negotiations; you’re even negotiating when

you’re meeting potential cash buyers for the first time. When you
bring them a first deal, and particularly when they are going to be
doing their very first deal, you will find that using Krishna’s approach
can help you a lot.
Take Action:
Have you started building your buyer list? If not, get moving on it.
Start attending meetings of real estate investment clubs or events
where real estate professionals and investors meet. Think like a busi-
ness person, and develop an approach that shows you understand
the needs and concerns of the potential buyer, particularly if they are
doing their first deal.
The Secret: Tradesmen’s Secret

Debra H. in Arkansas
The Result:
“This secret has helped me to quickly grow my buyer list.”

“I was trying to think of ways to come up with more good names on
my buyers list. One day my brother who is an electrician was telling
me about another electrician who gets a lot of side jobs from a lot of
landlords. He said he has a large list of them.
I figured this must be true of carpenters and lawn care professionals,

etc. So I started calling them and asking if they are experienced with
working with rentals. It was like calling the real estate agents and
asking them if they are used to working with investors. Going down
the list in the phone book I called trades people and found that each
one that worked with rentals had a long list of landlords and they are
not all the same.
I met with the ones who do to discuss what they charge. During our
conversation I let them know that if they give me a lead (like a land-
lord) who turns out to make me a sale I would give them a commis-
sion. They were very eager to tell me landlord names. Now I simply
need to work on the other end of things and find the houses. AND
then I call the landlords to qualify them.”
Dean’s Comments:
This section of the book is about “Appreciation.” When we meet
other people connected to real estate, appreciating their business
and contacts can bring us business. Debra found a group of people
88 DEAN GRAZIOSI
working with landlords on their properties, and she had an immediate

appreciation for their customer contacts and the potential value of
introductions and leads. Think of the large group of business people
we can tap:
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Landscapers
• Cleaning services
• Carpet cleaning
• Carpet or floor installers
• Painters
• Carpenters
• Heating and air conditioning contractors
• Repair services
• Roofers
• Tile installers
You’re getting the idea. Go out and make contact for leads.
Take Action:
If there are local associations, such as contractor groups, you can pos-
sibly ask to speak at one of their meetings or maybe you can get a
member list. Ask for introductions, and definitely speak about this to
every business person who works on your home or properties.
The Secret: Wise Buying and Selling

Sandra F. in Washington
The Result:
“On my last deal I saved $13,000 with this secret.”

“This is about buying and selling using an attorney rather than a real
estate agent with fees. It’s a win-win for both the buyer and seller.
At first I was apprehensive, but I went with it, as the house I wanted
was being sold by the owner.
First you need to find a homeowner who is willing to sell without a

realtor. You each need to agree to get your own lawyer. My last pur-
chase resulted in a $13,000 savings. The lawyer charged me $1,000
to do all of the necessary legal paperwork. I decided then and there
that this would be my first choice in buying and selling.”
Dean’s Comments:
We’ve mentioned elsewhere about using a good attorney for con-
tracts, especially when you’re doing your own lease purchase deals.
Sandra has decided to target FSBO sellers who either aren’t listing
with a real estate broker or who have not been successful and their
listings have expired or been withdrawn.
An experienced real estate attorney is invaluable in everything from

tenant leases to purchase and sale contracts. It’s always advisable to
find a good attorney for your team even before you need one.
90 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
If you don’t already have an attorney on your team, start doing re-
search into who might be the best for your needs. Get recommenda-
tions from other investors or real estate related professionals.
In some states there is certification for real estate as a specialty, but

not in others. If there is, look first at those attorneys who are certi-
fied. If not, there will be attorneys who tend to work mostly in that
specialty and they should be on your list to interview.
The Secret: Share the Wealth – Family and Friends Style

David B. in Illinois
The Result:
“By getting everyone involved at the level they can afford, we have
collected enough funds for two deals at a time.”

“This allows us to build wealth not only for ourselves but all of our
participating friends and family members. By using this method, we
have overcome the challenge of obtaining funds. We want to do
more than just 1 or 2 deals a month or every few months.
Having buyers is a great thing but getting buyers can sometimes be

difficult and there are ways to get there without stressing over the:
‘can this 1 buyer meet my needs/volume requirements while I am
meeting his financial requirements.’
The way we do it is simply ‘Share the wealth - Friends and Family

Style’. What we have done is found multiple friends and family mem-
bers with a little bit to contribute. Maybe $500.00, maybe $5,000.00,
or maybe $50,000.00. Each one contributes financially and with the
92 DEAN GRAZIOSI
system I have put into place (Rehab Teams, Realtors, Insurance, Clos-
ing/Title Company, Lawyers, Property Management Company, etc.)
I manage the project, input as much cash as I can spare and we have
a deal. Each person is able to participate in a joint deal getting the
property put together and then each “Investor” will get back the per-
centage they contributed from the profits as we sell each property. It
is a great way to obtain funds, get more people involved, have plenty
of Bird Dogs for finding good deals and have plenty of help posting
those bandit signs!!!”
Dean’s Comments:
One of the greatest aids to good deal-making and negotiating is to
go into the process with confidence. Part of it is confidence in your
ability to fund the deal. David has set up a funding resource that he
can count on.
Better than that, he’s involving his family and friends, not because
he needs them, but because he wants to share the wealth. I’m sure
that his family and friends appreciate it and will continue to fund his
deals in the future. Success builds confidence and a desire for more.
Take Action:
Take some time to think about your family and friends and their at-
titudes about your new or existing real estate investing business. If
you don’t know their attitudes, it’s time to ask, as it could change
your business plan.
Many new investors get started with little or no cash and bird dog
or do assignment wholesaling deals for a considerable time. Would
you be able to avoid transactional funding or advance your business
strategies faster if you knew you had funding lined up for deals?
The Secret: Dual Agency Profits

Chad M. in California
The Result:
“I buy properties cheaper with this secret. Deals that are about to fall
apart can be resurrected using this secret.”

“When using the selling agent to purchase a deal you now are giving
that agent double commission (6% instead of 3%), which means you
now have three parties able to negotiate instead of two. If you and
the seller can’t agree on a price the agent can throw in part of their
commission to make both parties happy. I have saved over $1,000
dollars each on multiple deals over the years with this secret.
One of my best secrets I found was a couple of years back when my

property manager bird-dogged 7 buildings for me (32 units). I was
sent the addresses of 7 properties all owned by the same guy, and
decided instead of using my own agent that I’d go straight to the list-
ing agent and ask if she’d be willing to have dual representation. She
agreed because now she was able to get 6% of a $500,000 project
in commissions instead of only 3%.
By using the selling agent I was also able to do better negotiations

and learn more information about the seller’s situation than what my
agent would have been able to get me. When the deal was being
negotiated, the seller and I couldn’t come to the same number and
were about $15,000 off or so.
The deal looked like it was going to die, but then I got a call from
OUR agent. She expressed that she’d be willing to put up $15,000
of her commission to get this deal to go through! I didn’t know they
could do this. I always thought there were only two parties doing the
94 DEAN GRAZIOSI
negotiating (the buyer and the seller), however, on this day I found
out there’s three (the agent too).
This was a win-win for all parties because everyone got what they
wanted. Instead of the agent getting $0 she was able to at least get
something and because she was getting a 6% commission instead of
3% she had more room for negotiations. P.S: an agent can do this
even if they aren’t doing dual agency.”
Dean’s Comments:
Real estate agents for the most part do their jobs for no pay unless
they can get a deal through the closing process. Some are showing
dozens or even hundreds of properties before they make a dime. In
some cases, especially larger deals, using Chad’s strategy you can
keep a deal together that may otherwise fall apart.
One thing to consider is that the majority of agents are in a brokerage

with a supervising broker. They may not have the ability to cut the
commission too much, as their broker may not want their side of the
commission reduced.
Take Action:
Check out the laws in your state to make sure there aren’t any pro-
hibiting this type of deal. There usually aren’t, but real estate laws
are state-specific.
Chad is correct that you can get a concession from any agent, buyer’s
or seller’s, and whether or not they’re representing both sides. Be
selective in the use of this strategy, as it won’t always work. If you
end up dealing with the same agent on multiple deals, you may not
want to push them this way frequently.
The Secret: “My Sweet Sammich Deals”

Donna B. in Washington
The Result:
“I have created passive income of $789 per month, and I’ll soon be
improving on that.”

“I market my properties “as is,” a great opportunity to own a great
home!! I talk about the potential that the home has and how they
can make it so special!! You have to get them excited. It works.
My secret.....That I do lease option deals in “as is” condition. Most

people think you have to make them pretty to complete a lease op-
tion. But I know differently!!! If the price is right and you are not a
HOG you can do it!!! Lots of people told me that I would have to put
money in each property before a tenant buyer would want it. This
has resulted in other people contacting me about helping them find
a house to purchase. That’s deal flow baby!”
96 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Dean’s Comments:
We’ve talked about lease purchase deals, including “sandwich” deals
with the investor in the middle, leasing-to-buy from a seller and plac-
ing a tenant buyer into the property. Donna’s secret is simply not
accepting the common belief that she must “pretty-up” the home
to get a tenant buyer to commit. She proves that you can find moti-
vated lease purchase buyers for properties that need work.
Take Action:
You just may find that you will enjoy the absence of investor compe-
tition in the lease purchase market when the homes aren’t in great
condition. Use other secrets strategies you learn in this book to mar-
ket for motivated sellers. Don’t dismiss homes in less-than-perfect
condition.
Be careful to do your due diligence and to make sure you can lease
the home out to a tenant buyer at a positive cash flow. The sandwich
lease strategy is helping investors who are cash challenged to get into
the rental investment business.
The Secret: Innovative Properties

Kenya W. in Virginia
The Result:
“I get in to see homes within just a couple of days of contacting own-
ers. I am buying homes and producing income streams.”

“I get leads by not looking for them, they just fall into my lap. One
of my hidden secrets is when I find leads in the city or county website
such as the condemned properties. I find these leads by building rela-
tionships with the employees at the respective city or county.
They volunteer a list of properties and once they send me a list I mail
out a yellow letter with red ink stating “I would like to $BUY$ your
House.” Within 2 days I’m able to see the house and put an offer on
the home. It works miracles for me and produces streams of income.
1) Cruise for Cash-Drive Neighborhoods for Vacant Homes
2) Contact the City or County for homeowners contact info
3) Mail out yellow letters with red Ink
4) Set up appointment with homeowner
5) Visit the home
6) Ithen repeat steps 1-5 above at the same time I

setup an appointment.
98 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Dean’s Comments:
This is the Appreciation section, and part of that is appreciation of the
jobs other people do that are related to real estate. Building relation-
ships with county personnel gets leads for Kenya. Her yellow letter
strategy gets the homeowner’s attention. Obviously, they’re prob-
ably no longer living in these homes, so there is a high probability of
a purchase that will work for her strategy.
Take Action:
Go to your county courthouse and do some checking to see if you
can employ a similar strategy. Begin to build relationships and ask
questions of the employees. See if you can get the same type of list
of abandoned or condemned properties. Also ask them if there will
be difficulties involved in the purchase and rehab or resale of these
properties.
The Secret: Community Outreach

Helena P. in Ohio
The Result:
“I purchased four houses with under $20,000 invested in each. Rents
are from $550 to $750 per month.”

“I reach out to organizations in my community that deal with housing
and tell them about me and my business. (Housing Authority, Habi-
tat for Humanity, Fair Housing, Hattie Larlham, Community Support
Services)
I build relationships with the leaders of these community organiza-

tions. I’ve been to breakfast or lunch with each of them. I drop them
an e-mail every couple of weeks. Now I have several of them calling
me first when they have a house they want to get rid of, a tenant who
is looking, or a buyer who cannot get financing.
I purchased four houses from Habitat for Humanity. The oldest one
was built in 1996 and the newest 2002. I have under $20,000 in
each including renovations. They are all super nice floor plans. One is
bringing in $550 a month, two are bring in $625 and one is bringing
in $750.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is an example of appreciation and definitely of innovation. Hel-
ena identified groups related to real estate and how they may have
occasion to make her aware of opportunities. She didn’t sit back and
just give them a business card or mail them a letter. She developed
personal relationships. It’s obviously working very well for her.
100 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
Do some research into community organizations in your market area
to see which are involved in any area of real estate. Meet the people
involved. Ask about their real estate involvement and possible prob-
lems. Offer your help in buying, selling and tenant situations. Make
yourself available and you just may find you’ll be getting calls that
present opportunity.
There’s a big difference between constantly approaching others and

asking for business and having people who know you call and ask
for your help. They both bring in business and deals, but one is per-
ceived as you selling and the other is you helping others to achieve
their goals.
The Secret: Open-Minded Networking

Thorn G. in California
The Result:
“I’ve acquired and placed into rental service several homes with excel-
lent positive cash flow (see below).”

“Networking!! Being educated and confident enough to be able to
explain the ROI, cash flow, buy/hold, and flip concepts to people who
have heard of this but had no idea that they could be a part of it.
On a daily basis I’m open-minded when I meet people and discuss

real estate or look for opportunities to discuss real estate investment.
Of course not everyone is like-minded so I don’t waste my time with
negative people or naysayers. You never know when you might run
across a cash buying millionaire, someone with money collecting
dust, or a motivated seller lead!
Networking: produced 3 buy and holds:
1) Oregon single family residence, 3/2 purchased $81,500,

rent $1,250 month through family (networking). Seller fi-
nancing and no repairs on the house. Refinanced for $90k
and past owners wanted to joint venture to buy deal #3
with the money I owed them.
2) California single family residence, 4/1 with studio pur-

chased $64,500, repairs $15,500 all in for $80k. Currently
rented for $1,100 monthly. This was wholesaled to me
from another DG member. Working on refinancing this
property and should be able to get all 80k back. Used none
102 DEAN GRAZIOSI
of my money and any future profit will be split 50/50 with

us and our partners (networking!)
3) California purchase for $77k using the refi money from

deal #1. 4-plex currently getting remodeled with estimated
repairs to be ~$45k. Will be all in for about $125k and will
rent for $2,000 monthly income. This deal was told to me
by my contractor from deal #2 and was purchased from
owner with $1 earnest money!”
Dean’s Comments:
This is all about the appreciation of the fact that you don’t know
what you don’t know. Making judgments about people based on
appearance, their jobs, or where you meet them can cost you. And
you should definitely not decide that family members or friends may
not have an interest in participation in your deals.
Thorn lets everyone in his circle of influence and everyone he meets

know about his business. Then he is careful not to make any judg-
ments about their responses or whether he believes they would be
suitable as investor partners. Being open to everyone except negative
people or naysayers helps to generate great deals.
Take Action:
Action here could be as simple as changing the way you look at the
people around you; and yourself. Consider yourself a successful real
estate investor who creates opportunity and profits. When you are
seeking partners or funding for deals, you are confident that they will
be profitable for everyone involved. Don’t rule out family and friends,
as they want to better their financial futures too. Don’t make judg-
ments about others you meet, and they just may surprise you with
offers of help and funding.
You’re Not an Island in Business

This is one of the longer sections in the book for good reasons. In
our everyday real estate investment activities we’re not just “running
the numbers” and making deals. We’re talking to and negotiating
with people. We’re helping some people and partnering with others.
Appreciation of the potential value of everyone we interact with will

enhance our business and our profitability. We’ve learned in this sec-
tion the secrets of successful investors related to their relationships
with:
• Community groups
• Attorneys
• Government employees
• Trades people
• Contractors
• Mortgage professionals
• Real estate professionals
• Other investors
• And of course buyers and sellers
Building a team around you and always being open to how others
you meet may have common interests and possibly a desire to partner
up will make a huge difference.
Appreciation, the title of this section, takes many forms. All of them
contribute to your business success and your profits. First, appreci-
ate the situations of the distressed homeowners you’re talking to.
104 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Don’t underestimate the stress they’re under and always approach

them with the knowledge that you’re not there to take advantage
of them, but to help them out of their situation. It’s alright to profit
from doing that or we wouldn’t have so many rich doctors.
Appreciate that you’re not the only one out there doing what you do,
meaning keep an eye on the competition. Now you’re using what
you learn to get a step ahead so you have the best deals to bring to
buyers.
Appreciation breeds cooperation, and you’ll do more business and

make a lot more money keeping that in mind.
Action
Action is the foundational
key to all success.
— Pablo Picasso
All of the sections leading up to this one have created a substantial

foundation for your success in real estate investing and changing
your life and future. You’ve learned secrets for entering the busi-
ness with the right attitude and maintaining that attitude every day
for every deal.
In the Assimilation section, you learned about learning. However,

you also learned about how to assimilate into groups that can ben-
efit your business, and how to learn from other students and busi-
ness people in the real estate industry.
Then you learned to analyze and research housing and market data,
and the secrets some of our students use to uncover the very best
and most profitable deals. After that, you learned how to appreci-
ate the expertise of others and to use it to your advantage, even
while fostering good will and helping them to reach their goals.
Now it’s time to put all of this knowledge to work and to take ac-
tion! It’s time to pull it all together and apply what you’ve learned.
Believe it or not, many would-be investors are able to learn what
106 DEAN GRAZIOSI
they need to know but never achieve success simply because they
never make the attempt.
I’ve seen people attend courses, seminars and read dozens of books
on real estate investing and still not even attempt to do their first
deal, talk to even one seller, or attend a real estate investment club
meeting. Don’t be that person. Take action.
The Secret: Shirt Pocket Money

Bruce W. in Washington
The Result:
Taking immediate action to get deals done.
I always carry one or more $100 bills in my pocket. I always make

sure to replenish my pocket money before I start my day, as I want
to be certain to have one or more $100 bills ready if I need to get a
deal started.
Most often I find something on Craigslist. I was able to buy a rental

property “for cash” by having a $100 bill in my pocket to use as ear-
nest money to an 89 year old lady. We wrote a temporary agreement
on a piece of notebook paper which gave me 45 days to get the cash
to close the deal.
This is a really simple and short example of taking action, but it’s
hard to find a better one. Bruce not only gets his prospect to take
action, he prods himself to do so by having that $100 bill available
as a “deal-starter.”
Dean’s Comments:
We’re just starting out in the Action section, and this one may seem
small, but it’s a clear example of taking action. Bruce is always ready
to take action, and the $100 bill is just his prompting mechanism.
When he carries it he considers himself ready for action anytime and
anywhere.
Sure, he might take it out and offer it as an earnest money deposit

and get turned down. They may want more, but it does show the
seller that he’s dead serious about making a deal right then and
there.
Take Action:
This is a “take action” secret in a take action section of the book. It’s
difficult to say much more. You should take whatever steps neces-
sary to always be ready and willing to take action. If it’s not carrying
a $100 bill, maybe it’s using one of the secrets you read about in the
Attitude section.
It’s not just about taking action with a seller either. When you’re
standing in front of a potential cash buyer and want to add them
to your buyer list, you’ll not get that done unless you take action
and ask for their business. Offer the delivery of your next deal
108 DEAN GRAZIOSI
that meets their criteria and ask them what criteria they would
want to consider it a premium deal they would almost definitely
take on.
The Secret: Retail Flip

Christine F. in Louisiana
The Result:
Multiple transactions with profits between $500 and $5000 each.

1) I search for homes for sale by owner and vacant. I like those that
have been on the market a while with little advertising, and usually
just a sign in the front yard with a phone number.
2) If the property fits my plan and price range, I offer to sign a buy/sell
agreement so that I can locate and assign over the contract to a re-
tail home buyer. My deposit is $1.00 and they usually allow me up
to 3 months to find a buyer. I have not had any problems extend-
ing the contract if there is active interest in the home or if financing
and funding will take the transaction past the 3 month deadline.
3) I then ask them their bottom line and suggest that they start higher
for negotiating. I explain that I add the assignment fee, paid by the
buyer not the seller, to their desired price. (They really like that part.)
They are usually relieved someone is taking over the showing and ad-
vertising for them. I get the key and get to work. (I live in a small town
and I can be anywhere in 10 minutes or less. So it is worth my time.)
4) Once I locate a buyer I assign over the contract and help in any way
I can to make the sale go smoothly, I am paid my assignment fee
outright by the buyer or at closing.”
110 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Dean’s Comments:
This is one of those “take action” situations that is made easier when
you have a plan like Christine and can quickly decide if a home fits
into that plan. Her action plan requires the right property situation
and she’s quick to act on her plan. By offering the seller a way out
of their dilemma within a specified period of time, Christine inspires
confidence and gets her deals done.
Take Action:
Make your own plan. Determine your objectives, the types of proper-
ties you want in your deals, and how you can help your prospective
buyers or sellers to achieve their goals. Then you tell them how you
can help and lock up the deal!
The Secret: Self Directed

Tony V. in Massachusetts
The Result:
“In my Self-Directed IRA I’ve purchased an investment property for
long term equity and income for the IRA.”

“Tax free retirement investments in real estate - long-term for retire-
ment. I was tired of the 401K and IRA going up and mostly down
with the stock market with enormous fees each month. I researched
another option for my IRA and found a self-directed IRA, opened an
LLC and bought an investment property for long term equity and
income for the IRA.
I used my IRA money to buy a new property in an area that will in-
crease in value over years and collect rental income to feed my retire-
ment. When I sell the property it will be tax exempt no matter what
the property and the money goes back to my self-directed IRA.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is very much a take action situation, in that it’s not easy to trans-
fer a retirement account. It also requires a lot of research and care in
selecting a self-directed IRA custodian who is willing and able to take
on real estate transactions.
ction in your personal retirement plan is a big decision, but it can be

the perfect solution to your long term financial goals. If you have other
funding resources, perhaps leaving your retirement accounts alone is
a better decision. However, if your IRA is sitting there earning a tiny
return and you can do better, then this is an action you can take.
112 DEAN GRAZIOSI
These aren’t recommendations, just an illustration on how you can

research IRA custodial firms that allow real estate investments.
Take Action:
This is very much a take action situation, in that it’s not easy to trans-
fer a retirement account. It also requires a lot of research and care in
selecting a self-directed IRA custodian who is willing and able to take
on real estate transactions.
Taking action in your personal retirement plan is a big decision, but

it can be the perfect solution to your long term financial goals. If
you have other funding resources, perhaps leaving your retirement
accounts alone is a better decision. However, if your IRA is sitting
there earning a tiny return and you can do better, then this is an ac-
tion you can take.
These aren’t recommendations, just an illustration on how you can

research IRA custodial firms that allow real estate investments.
The Secret: PPI, Powerful Probate Investments

Gary C. in Florida
The Result:
Gary reports that he’s done six buy, fix and flips using this secret
strategy. Return on Investment on these deals averaged between
20% and 43%.
In another type of deal using this secret Gary purchased a home,

placed a tenant in it on a lease-option, for which the tenant paid a
$10,000 deposit. The rental income cash flowed at $507 per month
for two years. The tenant did not exercise their option to purchase,
forfeiting their $10,000 deposit. However, they did continue to rent
it for another year, still providing Gary with that $507/month cash
flow. Here’s his breakdown of the deal:
• $18,000 in rental income
• $10,000 deposit forfeited
• $11,000 profit on the home when sold
• That’s $39,000 profit on a home purchased for $41,500!
In his most recent deal, Gary purchased a home for $35,000, adver-
tised it at $48,000, and sold it for $44,500 in just one day. That’s a
$9,500 profit in a single day of ownership.

“Following one of Dean’s simple techniques, we used magnetic car
signs, and at first we had red, white & black lettering with “We Buy &
Sell Houses”; “Lease Options”; “Cash”; “Quick Closings”. We received
a few calls, BUT then we had new signs made, Yellow with Black
Lettering - “We Buy Houses Any Condition & the Phone Number.”
114 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The calls doubled & people would chase us down in parking lots for
information!
• We go to the Citrus County Clerk’s website to Official Re-

cords; to subscriber (using the code we got from our title
company).
• Under documents we put in probates;
• then the dates (usually the past 90 days);
• then the subdivision;
• Click on search, get our list, cross reference for mortgage

amounts, liens, if any; & info on the house (sq. ft. beds/baths,
taxes) on the property appraiser’s website.
• Then send out condolence letters & offer to purchase the

property for cash, quick closing. We focus on heirs that are
out of the area & stress the cost of maintenance, insurance,
taxes, & possible theft & vandalism.”
Dean’s Comments:
Gary found a great niche in probate records. It’s more work to gather
the necessary property and owner information when you’re research-
ing probate properties, but you can see from Gary’s results that it’s
well worth it.
Knowing the motivations of property heirs and the problems associ-

ated with trying to liquidate assets when you’re not in the local area
is how to target the best prospects. They usually want and need to
sell the largest assets first in order to pay off debt, and real estate is
the first thing to go. That’s if they can get some help, as real estate
is also the most complicated asset to sell.
By offering help and fast cash, Gary is able to strike up conversations

and create deals that his local investor competition do not even have
on their radar. His other car sign strategies are working for him in
getting motivated sellers to give him a call as well. It’s good infor-
mation to learn that the color and wording changes made a major
difference in his lead generation.
Take Action:
Make a trip to the county courthouse and ask how you can access
probate records. Sometimes you can do it online, which makes it a
faster process. Once you know about a probate action, you’ll need to
learn how you can find out if real estate is involved and how to access
the tax records for more information about the property.
Magnetic car signs are inexpensive, so why not give Gary’s wording
and colors a try in your area. You don’t need to have the cash to buy
the house, as you can wholesale it to another investor, so why not
get started?
116 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Wholerenting

Valerie R. in California
The Result:
I place tenants in homes I’ve rehabilitated, and I do it with no delay
or vacancy time. They are in the home the first day renovations are
completed.

“I call this strategy “Wholerenting;” instead of having a buyers list as
in wholesaling, I have a tenants list! If you buy and hold, you must
have a tenants list, and keep updating it! If you don’t have tenants
wanting to rent your properties, you may have an empty property for
months!
I buy mostly REO properties (out of state), rehab them, then get a
tenant in them, and finally, refinance property for amount that I have
invested. Once I get the funds, I do it again... What I do differently
now, is that instead of having my handyman go look at properties
before I buy and give me an estimate of repairs, I have my property
manager go there and let me know if the property I’m considering
buying meets our tenants’ (on waiting list) criteria.
I want to make sure I’m buying properties that I can get rented as
soon as rehab is completed so they are not vacant, not even a day!
If a tenant on the waiting list is looking for a 4 bedroom in a certain
area, that’s what I look for to buy (just like wholesaling, you look
for properties that meet your buyers criteria). I make sure tenant is
screened, find out how soon they need/can move, and how much
they can pay; then I ask my realtor to send me listings that fit that
criteria, put in offers, and as soon as I close I start the rehab.
I get team to do rehab, get the city inspector/section 8 inspector

scheduled, and tenant moves in as soon as inspections are completed
and approved. They are happy to pay the prorated rent, which means
that I start receiving rent immediately. I save on my insurance with
the property not being vacant, and my properties are less likely to get
vandalized because they aren’t vacant from the day that I purchase
them.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is another approach to list-building, and we can see that it works
quite well. Valerie aggressively seeks out renters, carefully collects
their property requirements, and then seeks out homes that fit their
needs.
By only purchasing homes for which a renter is waiting and timing

the purchase and rehab to meet the move-in capability of the tenant,
Valerie is able to flip a property into a rental unit immediately and
with no vacant time.
Take Action:
Building a tenant list uses some of the same strategies as building a
list of investor buyers, and some slightly different approaches. Bandit
signs and car signs with “Best rentals in town,” or “We find the rental
home you want,” or “Perfect rent homes when you need them” will
work for you.
You can also place classified ads for properties you don’t yet own,
and do the same on Craigslist. When renters call, you tell them the
home is rented but you’ll find them exactly what they want and take
down their requirements.
118 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: OPM, Infinite Return on Investment

Rick T. in Maine
The Result:
“I was able to make my first purchase ($200,000), an eleven unit
mixed use building (commercial and residential) with no money
down.”

“Going into my first deal, I had two criteria:
1. Buying the property with no money down, and
2. Having a positive monthly cash flow.

The 11 unit building cost $200,000. The bank lent me 75%

($150,000), the sellers lent me 20% ($40,000), and my father lent
me 5% ($10,000).
When I realized I would need about $3,000 for closing costs I asked
my broker if he would lend me a portion of his commission ($3,000),
which I would repay when the first month’s rents were paid. He was
happy to oblige.
(Bonus secret 1): Work with the right broker: For me, it is essential
to work with brokers who not only understand the concept of no
money down but embrace the practice. My broker brought this deal
to me with the idea that I might be able to do it with 100% OPM
(Other People’s Money). It was then left to me to build relationships
with the bank, the sellers and my father so that they would all buy
into my plan.
(Bonus secret 2): Close on or near the first of the month: By closing
on the first of the month I was able to immediately collect 100% of
the monthly rents instead of the prorated rents (i.e. less cash) I would
have received had I closed on any other day.
(Bonus secret 3): Ask the sellers what they need (create win-win):
Rather than agreeing to a random (high) interest rate for the loan
from the sellers, I asked them what they needed for a monthly pay-
ment and we set the interest rate accordingly. The sellers were happy
with their monthly payment, and I was happy with the lower rate.
(The note was for ten years with a balloon payment at the end.)
(Bonus secret 4): Pay family (don’t expect handout): Though he did
not ask for it, I paid my father interest on his loan. I wanted to:
a. show him the same respect as the other lenders.
b. establish good practices (win-win) that would be a

successful template for future deals.
120 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Happy ending: Even after making the three monthly loan payments
and covering all expenses, I still showed a monthly profit of about
$500. Eighteen months later I resold the building for $240,000.”
Dean’s Comments:
Rick understood his funding limitations, and he took action to
explain his situation to the real estate agent and involve them in
his deal. Their motivation was a commission they wouldn’t have
received otherwise.
He took the steps to involve the sellers as well, creating a win-win

situation. Using OPM, Other People’s Money, Rick literally created a
deal where one didn’t exist before. The timing of the closing is also
something to remember in any deal you undertake with tenants al-
ready in place. Collecting rents the first day of ownership is a great
cash flow strategy.
Take Action:
Take some time to outline your possible resources for funding deals.
Think about family and friends, and ask them about their interest.
Keep in mind that you’re not asking for a handout. You can pay
them interest that will be much better than the tiny interest rates
they’re getting on savings accounts and Certificates of Deposit.
If you don’t already work with a real estate agent who would accept
Rick’s strategy, start talking to agents and sizing them up to find the
one that will aggressively seek out potential deals that can work with
no money down. Then send them out to find one for you!
The Secret: Tackling Fear

Ronda L. in Minnesota
The Result:
“I got a $2,000 finder’s fee with just a verbal agreement and picked
up a new investor buyer.”

“I TOOK ACTION! I have been trying everything I could just to get
a deal. Nothing seemed to work, everyone around me was making
progress, closing on deals, and accumulating results. I was so afraid
of the unknown, and that’s scary, The Unknown!
After my accident three months ago I have been off work, and un-
able to return until 3-1-2014. With no income coming in, bills were
piling up, and I had nowhere to turn. I had been investing $,$$$ into
this REI (Real Estate Investment) thing for the past year-plus with no
results, only gaining knowledge of the business. I guess you could say
I had Analysis Paralysis.
NOW it was time to make this stuff work in my favor, in the name of
Jesus! I DID IT!!! I finally took that fear and applied it to a Cash Buyer
on my Buyers List and sold my first property with no contract, just
Faith and a Prayer. I was scared, but I negotiated a Finder’s Fee of $2k
with a verbal agreement and now I have my #1 Buyer in my rolodex.
I gave him a property that I could have made about $30k on and he
will make $200k or more on a land project. It’s a tear down and his
builders will re-build on the lot. A Seller called me off of one my mar-
keting pieces: The Inheritance List, (I also target Absentee Owners,
Bandit Signs, Internet Marketing, Article Marketing,) and this is only
to name a few. He told me he wasn’t selling, but he had a property
that he was going to Fix and Flip, but couldn’t because it was too far
122 DEAN GRAZIOSI
from him and he had a full-time job. I told the seller that I would buy
it. I got all the details and called Dave, my Buyer. Dave called me back
and told me that he wanted it!
I spoke with the Seller again and told him that my partner would be
there in two hours to see the property. I knew this was a prominent
area. Dave pleaded with me not to send my other buyer out to the
property. I agreed and we negotiated a Finder’s Fee for me of $2k.
The property was a 1/bed, 1/bath, 770 square foot, built in the 1800s,
and had a nice size lot. The lot was worth more than the house.
Homes in the area are in the $170k-upper $200k price range. The
Owner stated to me that it could very well be a tear-down. I told my
buyer and he loves it. My buyer asked me to refer him to all of my
deals in several areas that I am marketing in.
I don’t plan to receive a finder’s fee on all of my deals, but I had to

start somewhere. I remember Matt Larson saying that he wanted to
make all of his buyers millionaires. I have only 150 buyers on my buy-
ers list and I am only looking for the first 10 Movers and Shakers to
become my Preferred VIP Buyers.
My agent and I are also working on HUD deals, and as of last week
we’ve gotten three counter offers and an approval for a showing. Mi-
chael, my rock star real estate agent, is an investor himself, with over
a dozen properties of his own. I already have an Investment Insurance
Company, along with their underwriter looking in this area and they
want all of my North Suburb properties.
I am working on 10 deals as of today. Not all of the FEAR has left me

at this time, but I am working on what I call My Secret “Tackling Fear”
or (MY FEARIORITY TACKLER)!!
I know this is only a start for me, but thus far my best SECRET is that
after being told many times over and over NO!, NO!, that I have
developed this tough skin, along with some skills. Some may call
it Rhino skin, but I call it Persist-Skin. I’ve tried the Seminars, The e-
books; REIAs, The Conference Call, The Meet-Ups, and every Guru
and Get Rich Quick system across the board. A lot of it was helpful;
don’t get me wrong.
The only thing that panned out for me was that I TOOK SOME KIND
OF ACTION!! $2k may not be much, but I know deep inside that I
helped someone to get rid of a burden property, helped a builder to
employ workers, and provided other families with housing. Also, I’m
happy to have helped in restoring a prominent neighborhood from
declining in property value.”
Dean’s Comments:
Wow! What a great secret for the Action section of this book. I
see people every day who are in a state of learning-paralysis. They
spend money and amazing amounts of time and effort in gathering
knowledge about real estate investing, but they never seem to get
into that “first deal.”
Ronda finally made a decision to get past here fear and actually use
some of what she’d learned. She didn’t hit a home run the first try,
as she definitely heard her share of “NO” answers. She just decided
to plow through the obstacles and make something happen. Once
she did, it’s clear that she knows it’s just the beginning of great things
to come.
Take Action:
There’s not a whole lot to add to Ronda’s secret, because it’s all about
taking action. Set a personal goal very near in the future, maybe even
today, to take action using what you know. Don’t hesitate out of fear
that you don’t know enough, and don’t hesitate because of finances.
If you are cash-challenged, take action in the wholesaling arena or as

a bird dog for another investor. If you have some cash and a pref-
erence for another real estate investment strategy, then make that
decision and do something!
124 DEAN GRAZIOSI
If you set a goal to make one or more offers on properties, make low
offers that you KNOW will be deals your buyers will really want. If
you don’t have buyers, set the goal to use the techniques you learn
in this book to meet cash buyers and get their commitment to look
at deals you deliver. Take action!
The Secret: USBS – United States Bird Dog Service

Keith S. in Texas
The Result:
“I generate leads using other people’s time, OPT.”

“Order business cards; front side of cards your company name and a
special email account address strictly for this card. On the back side
of the card: ‘Email me the address of vacant, boarded up homes, or
houses that you know from the resident they want to sell. If I buy you
can make $500-$5000 dollars.
Now you hand these cards out to your Postman in whatever area you
want leads, explain to them what you are looking for and explain that
the email is for record keeping so you know who to pay when you
buy the house.
The emails will start flowing and once you pay one individual your
email will explode with leads. You are the first one to know when
someone is moving because they all put in change of address. They
see every house in every neighborhood in every town across Amer-
ica!!!! They work for you every day. When you see a mail truck
parked anywhere, you stick a business card under the wiper and you
126 DEAN GRAZIOSI
have another bird-dog working for you.
I talked to my mailman and he took 50 cards to hand out at the post

office to other workers for me. This is a cheap reliable work force,
and they will show up every day but Sunday come rain sleet or snow.”
Dean’s Comments:
This secret is short and sweet. Keith found a lead resource that’s in
every neighborhood and has information that it would take many
miles of driving and a lot of work to collect in any other way.
Take Action:
You can use Keith’s approach, so go have those cards printed up.
You can also spend a little time thinking through who else in your
community is on the front lines when it comes to people moving in
and out of homes. Maybe someone can tell you when people stop
their newspaper delivery permanently. Or maybe utility workers who
block or remove meters can be of help. Get out there and cultivate
relationships that can help you to locate deal opportunities.
For those email addresses, use free Gmail and a feature that only
Gmail offers. Let’s say that your main Gmail address is YourNameIn-
vesting@gmail.com. You can add a “+something” to the front part
of your address to make it unique, but the email will still come into
your main Inbox. It just lets you know where it came from. Example:
1. Set up email addresses like YourNameInvesting+Area1@gmail.com

and YourNameInvesting+Area2@gmail.com, etc.
2. It doesn’t matter what you put behind the “+.” It’s just there to
identify the sender that got that business card.
You’ll receive all of these emails into the main Inbox, but you’ll see
which address it was sent to.
The Secret: 95% Savings

James W. in Arizona
The Result:
I get cash for my next deal using this secret.”
“This is really short and simple. First I opened a new savings account
just for this process. Then I take 95% of any profit from a real estate
deal and any cash flow profits and I deposit that money into this
special savings account.
The purpose is to build up cash for another deal without having to

use debt.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is indeed short and simple, but very powerful. Sure, 95% is a
major chunk of your profits to put aside, but it’s not necessarily how
you may employ this secret in your business.
You may find that based on your profits you can do really well with a
lower percentage. The amount doesn’t really matter, it’s the process
and sticking to it that counts. You’re using this process to build capi-
tal for future deals, so when you find a deal and have the money in
the savings account to fund it, jump right in. Then take your percent-
age out of that deal’s profits and build your fund again.
128 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Take Action:
If this secret appeals to you, it’s not necessary that you fund future
deals 100% out of this fund. The goal is to fund as much as possible
of your next deal with cash rather than debt. Or, you can combine
the two, but your debt will be lower based on your cash down pay-
ment.
If you like this approach, start that savings account now. Make sure
it’s one that allows you to write checks so you have the funds ready
when you need them.
You may combine this strategy with building a future financing rela-
tionship. Check out the local Credit Unions to find one you are eli-
gible to join. Credit Unions can become a great mortgage resource in
the future, so getting going with a savings account with one will es-
tablish a relationship. You can even begin conversations with a loan
manager about how you use your account to fund real estate deals.
The Secret: Flushing Out the Ostrich

Chris J. in California
The Result:
The result reported by Chris for this secret is that far more discussions
were initiated with distressed homeowners than before this process
was put into play. More discussions lead to more deals or short sale
opportunities.

“We have gotten calls back, and have submitted offers. The main
thing, is that we have had dialog with the home owners, where be-
fore, we hadn’t.
We’ve found that by checking PropTrend.com for “Trustee Sale”

dates, that when we knock on doors of people that are in Pre-Fore-
closure, they have more of a sense of urgency to discuss working out
a deal to purchase their homes. In the past, we used to knock on the
homeowner’s doors that had just received a Notice of Default, but
still didn’t have a Foreclosure “Sale Date” (Trustee sale or Lis Pendens).
They weren’t responsive to our offers to help them out because they
didn’t have a Foreclosure Date looming on the immediate horizon.
Timing is everything. If you don’t have PropTrend, you can contact the
various county offices to get the same information about Foreclosure
Sale Dates. Once the Sale is listed with the County, it is then placed as
an ad in the legal section of a local area newspaper. Once it’s posted
in the paper, then more people have a chance at it. Get to the home-
owner before it gets posted in the newspaper, and you stand a good
chance of making a deal, that works for everyone.”
130 DEAN GRAZIOSI
Dean’s Comments:
Key features include:
• Search detailed records for Tens of Thousands of U.S. proper-

ties using our search tool
• View essential aerial images of properties through Virtual Earth

and Google Earth to get a good idea of what the property and its
surrounding area look like
• Get extensive graphs and statistics on neighboring properties via

“Street Snapshots”
• Stay connected to properties that match your pre-determined

criteria with PropTrend Alerts
• Obtain highly detailed information such as education, crime, in-

come, and more on selected property areas through the exclusive
Community Profile
• Find COMPS and define your own COMPS criteria to estimate

your target properties value. You no longer need a real estate
appraiser to do this for you!
• Determine the best areas for investing by using our Trending

Tools to analyze the potential of the properties you select
• The PropTrend Analysis Wizard guides you through a six-step

process that carefully analyzes each aspect of buying
• Create comprehensive and beneficial reports for partners, inves-

tors, hard money lenders, and traditional lenders
• Access our outstanding tools section which provides you with

very helpful real estate calculators and other great tools
• Stay informed with our News section which is updated daily with

new articles focused on the real estate industry
Take Action:
Check out PropTrend.com and other resources offering the same re-
search services. You may be able to get your information in a timely
manner at the county courthouse, so check that out as well. Make
a plan to reach out to these homeowners with a great business story
about how you can help them.
132 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Close Without Funding

Jeffrey L. in Louisiana
The Result:
Making a double closing work with only the buyer’s funds.

“Working a deal where I had my buyer all lined up while I was work-
ing on bank or transaction funding. The buyer was in a major hurry
to close the deal, and didn’t like the funding delay.
By offering the buyer a $3,000 discount off the already negotiated

price, I got the agreement to do a double close using the buyer’s
funds for both my purchase and theirs.”
Dean’s Comments:
This is a great addition to the Action section of the book. Jeffrey was
confronted with an obstacle. The buyer didn’t want to wait for Jef-
frey’s transactional funding to kick in. Jeffrey took immediate action
and came up with a creative solution.
The buyer was the initiator of the situation so was open to a creative
solution. Jeffrey simply came up with one.
Take Action:
Check with title companies and attorneys doing real estate closings
in your area to see if they would execute a double closing like this.
If some will, keep them in mind and you may be able to avoid the
hassles and cost of transactional funding.
You may even be able to take the initiative to contact your best buy-
ers and see if they would allow you to pay them a fee to be the
transactional funder in this case, funding both deals in a double close
situation. You could pay less than the fees charged by the transac-
tional funding company, but your buyer will realize more ROI on the
front end of the deal, and they’ll like that.
134 DEAN GRAZIOSI
The Secret: Tenant Golden Magnet

Lydia S. in Florida
The Result:
“Placement of a tenant in a home that had been vacant for years. Did
it in just one month.”

“I tried a tip I learned in class and within one month had a tenant for
my rental that sat empty for years. I tried selling the house, listed it
with four different realtors, tried renting directly, listed with realtor
for rental and no matter what I or they tried, people couldn’t get
qualified or had bad history in rental case. Then I tried 25.00 below
the going rent based on rental analysis, and then offered 25.00 off
rent if paid on or before the first of the month. This worked, within
one month I had a renter.
I have my realtor list house 25.00 cheaper than any rental in the area.
Then they get 25.00 off if they pay on the first or before, if not then
they pay the normal rent.”
Dean’s Comments:
There are two factors in play here, Lydia’s knowledge of prevailing
rents and tenant motivation through discounting. One rental home
only needs one tenant for 100% occupancy. It’s almost a slam-dunk
to find a tenant if you give them incentives like these discounts. $50/
month in potential rent savings is going to appeal to someone. This
isn’t just for getting a tenant. It can also help you to hold on to them,
cutting your vacancy costs.
Take Action:
If you’re into rental property investing at all, or if you own a home
you’re wanting to rent out, first do a thorough market analysis. Learn
the prevailing rents for similar homes in the neighborhood and you’ll
have the information you need to use this strategy to get them oc-
cupied and keep them that way.
Don’t Learn-N-Burn: Take Action

We’re nearing the end of this book of secrets. You’ve been exposed
to information and strategies that are working for real estate inves-
tors around the country. It’s not about location, and it’s not about
timing the market. It’s about education and using what you learn to
profit from real estate investment.
“Crash and burn” is a saying we’ve all heard many times before. It
refers to failure, not getting the job done, and for us it’s about never
doing a deal. You can “learn and burn” by reading this book and
then doing nothing with what you’ve learned here.
That’s why I ended it with the Action section. You should be in an

action mindset right now, and you can’t let that get away from you.
You’ve learned some really effective investment techniques here, but
they’re worthless if you do nothing with them.
136 DEAN GRAZIOSI
FINAL REVIEW
for Straight “A’s”
There’s no exam here to get your A Grade for the course. You’ve
learned a lot of basic real estate investment information, and that’s
your Bachelor’s Degree. Then you were exposed to valuable se-
crets that are creating success for these investors, and you’ve been
awarded your Master’s Degree.
All you have to do to get your Doctorate is to go out and do a deal.

To do that you need only cherry-pick the strategies that best fit your
investment plans and your market. Let’s recap where you’ll find the
tools and secrets you’ll use to get that deal.
Attitude
The secrets our investors shared with you in this section are all about
approaching real estate investing with a mindset for success. Alan
and Tim use their computers and other methods for positive reaf-
firmation techniques to start every day in the right frame of mind to
locate and close profitable deals.
Once you have that positive mindset you’ll find it easy to do what it
takes for success. Angel shows this in her bold approach to construc-
tion crews on remodels or home-building projects. She overcame any
problems with shyness or doubt and meets people who help her to
create deals.
Assimilation
This section started out with Anita telling us about just “hanging
out” on the courthouse steps to meet people engaged in business
related to real estate. There’s nothing complicated there, just com-
mon sense, but it’s something many never think about.
Through participation in our groups and on our websites, Kendall

learned his technique for locating motivated private owner sellers.
Using Craigslist, he’s finding sellers who need to sell and setting up
for his first profitable deal. Caroline showed us how to take Craigslist
research to the next level with automated technology to transfer her
results to spreadsheets.
Alisa showed us how she took a marketing survey she received in

the mail and used that company’s approach to develop her coupon
strategy for finding cash buyers. She “assimilated” a marketing ap-
proach totally unrelated to real estate and created a unique approach
to build out her buyer list.
Analysis
Pete got the ball rolling in this section with a structured approach
to market research. He told us how he tracks all cash purchases by
neighborhood and home type for buyers at the trustee sales. It helps
him to locate repeat cash buyers, the best prospects for his wholesale
deals.
Pete does this tracking on the public website for trustee auctions. It’s
efficient and locates cash buyers without hanging out at the court-
house. If you don’t have website access in your area, just go manual
and get the data at the courthouse.
This section is full of awesome how-to information for using the In-
ternet to research the local market. Using Craigslist and Zillow.com
are topics in multiple investor secrets. From your home office you
have access to amazing amounts of data for your real estate invest-
138 DEAN GRAZIOSI
ment activities. You can locate properties and value them using sold
property statistics, all from your computer.
Appreciation
Appreciation is a good description of the focus of this section. We’re
learning how to appreciate the way in which others are connected to
real estate. We learn how they can help us and vice versa.
Pamela started us out right with her appreciation of the relationships

she developed in our discussion groups on our websites. She located
a like-minded student who helped her to complete a profitable deal
from another country.
Keith learned the skill of listening. He found that real listening re-
quired an appreciation of the fact that his prospective buyer or seller
has something valuable to say. By shutting up and letting them say
it completely, he was learning information that helped him to close
deals as win-win situations.
Tina built a strong niche business by appreciating the sacrifice fellow

Veterans have made to our country. The Veterans she helps very
much appreciate her efforts to help them to avoid foreclosure and
losing their VA home buying benefit.
Action
What more can I say? The secrets in this section are all about taking
action based on what you learn. These are secrets for real deal-making.
You’re learning specific steps to take for specific results and profits.
Bruce kicked off this section with his $100 bill technique. He carries
one around in his pocket so that he is always ready to make a deal
with a homeowner over the kitchen table. Having that bill in his
pocket creates a mental readiness to take action, and he’s cut deals
with that $100 as earnest money.
Christine raised the bar by lowering the dollars. She locks up homes
with motivated owners with $1.00 deposits. They give her 3 months
to locate a buyer. She does it and is making $5,000 and more on
each wholesale deal.
Other secrets in this section give us step-by-step instructions in doing

creative sign marketing, locating motivated sellers and cash buyers,
buying or controlling homes with no money down or cash out of
pocket, and much more.
Congratulations!
You score straight A’s

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Dean Graziosis

New York Times Best Seller Author of

New York Times Best Seller Author of

Copyright © 2014 by Dean Graziosi

Published by: BBG Enterprises, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing March of 2014

The reader should conduct an independent investigation into the information

The success or failure of any undertaking described herein or based on

Finally, nothing contained herein should be construed as legal advice.

Consult your own independent legal counsel as to the legality of any

Interior Design: Tressa Foster

Just do something with it!

In this section, my students will share their secrets about maintain-

Humans take encouragement from their peers, family and friends

The Secret: Sleep Your Way to Success

The How of the Secret:

Through repeated commands parents “program” their children to

1) E very time I turned on my computer a message scrolled

What happened(s)? From these repeated messages, just like brushing

The HOW of the Secret:

Start to pay attention to which news outlets or websites are gener-

The Secret: The E. R. Program

The HOW of the Secret:

“I no longer want to wish for things. What I tell myself is that ‘I am

Then, you’re Reconditioning your mind to eliminate doubt, fear and

The Secret: Three Steps to an Awesome Life

The HOW of the Secret:

1. “You need to get/be/stay ready.” Whether it’s a great deal

I keep a positive on-fire attitude for everyday life, no matter what

The Secret: How to Re-program Your Life

The HOW of the Secret:

Affirmations can be those repeated positive reminders that success is

screen saver messages can help by automating constant positive af-

The Secret: The Drive-By

The HOW of the Secret:

My strategy is looking for construction sites everywhere I go. Some-

There’s a way to make this more than a happenstance thing. Instead

Some days we just don’t get up in the right frame of mind. If we

However, there’s no substitute for experience, and assimilation is how

It’s possible to make a go of it in real estate investing as an island.

The Secret: Right Place, Right Time

The HOW of the Secret:

I implement my ‘secret’ by looking for ways to meet people who

My primary secret meeting place is in front of the County Assessor’s

One opportunity she didn’t mention is meeting vendors and con-

The Secret: Doing the Stuff

The HOW of the Secret:

It took determination to continue past what seemed like impossible

Practice looking at homes, evaluating them, running comps and

Experienced investors are constantly approached by novice investors

There is no substitute for knowledge because it builds confidence.

Another approach would be to practice valuation of some recently

The Secret: CLGC, Craigslist Leads Game Changer

The HOW of the Secret:

One example is an owner who told me after I did my due diligence

This is an easy strategy to test. Go to Craigslist and do your own

The Secret: Simply IFTTT

The HOW of the Secret:

I use an app called IFTTT. It transfers my search criteria from Craigslist

I open up the IFTTT.com application and click on create a recipe. Just

The Secret: No Name-But It Works!

1) E very time I turned on my computer a message scrolled

(3) Include these buyers on a postcard when you’re advertising a